Dark Moon
by yume girl 91
Summary: Centuries of war against the Vampire clan are at an end. The House of Kuchiki began it and so they shall end it. As night comes to an end, Rukia is forced to make a choice between mortality and to live forever with the one she loves. IxR. COMPLETE! Altend
1. Chapter 1 like a loaf of bread

Disclaimer: I don't own Bleach. A/N: I started from scratch and here's the result. Enjoy.

"We'll miss you, Rukia!"

"I know Kiyone, I know," the pretty petite girl hugged the blond back, "you'll call us every day right?" Kiyone persisted. Her older sister, Isane sighed, "She already promised us that she would. Now hurry up Kiyone, you're going to make her late for the train!" As if by premonition, the conductor whistled and the rest of the passengers filed quickly inside.

Rukia got on and took her seat; outside the two Kotetsu sisters stood back and waved. Her friends…two of her very best friends…she was leaving them behind. Not a week had passed since Byakuya's funeral and the remaining head of the family, namely her married aunt with four kids—Retsu Unohana had decided to pass her along like a loaf of bread to the next relative—an Uncle Sosuke who lived in a little town in the Japanese countryside.

How charming…to think she was going to live in a tiny town with her uncle AND his four sons. Not.

"But, Auntie, couldn't I just live there in Shibuya with you and…uncle Kenpachi?" the last part she whispered; the big burly man was close by playing with his youngest, Yachiru. Retsu smiled sadly, "I'm sorry, Rukia. Please understand, we would take you in ourselves but…"

"But what?" She prompted; they were outside the mortuary, the weak sunlight chilled Rukia through her mauve pea coat. "Well…we were considering on moving overseas—there's a good offer for a photography position in Spain," Retsu explained.

"In Spain?! All the way over there?" She was being loud but she didn't care.

"Yes. That's why we decided instead of dragging you across the globe, you'd just stay here with another relative in Japan."

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So now all the arrangements were made…Kenpachi and Retsu didn't say goodbye that afternoon—their flight to Barcelona was early in the am. Kiyone and Isane had driven her to the Shinjuku train station and seen her off…and now little seventeen-year-old Rukia Kuchiki was all alone in the world…heading for an unknown destination to live with people she didn't even know.

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A/N: It's short! Oh well! Anyway, please review?


	2. Chapter 2 Forgotten?

A/N: I apologize about the 'braed'. It was the stupid keyboard's fault! Thank you to everyone who has read this story. Enjoy.

The first warning sign that signified that something wasn't all kosher with Uncle Sosuke…was the small depot at which Rukia got off. "This can't be it," she muttered trying to ignore the little bells jingling in her head. The train—she watched it pull away quickly as if ashamed to stop at such a poor spot.

She couldn't blame them.

A peeling painted sign proclaimed—Las Noches train station, Hueco Mundo—20 miles distant.

Twenty miles…perfect. And she'd just gotten these boots last week; one thing was for sure these boots WERE not made for walking. 'At least the sun shines a bit warmer here,' she tried to think positively as she slid the pea coat off her shoulders.

Ten minutes later and the metal shell of the depot overhang still hadn't disappeared.

"Okay…I can handle this. I'll just stay…here!" Rukia walked back to the bench beneath the overhang and plopped down. "And wait for them to come pick me up." Auntie Retsu had said that they would after all.

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"Ulquiorra." A steel-toed boot tapped his leg.

He ignored it.

"Ul-qui-or-ra!" The familiar voice said more urgently.

"Go away."

The younger boy dropped down to a crouch beside his brother's sprawled out body. "Ulquiorra, I suppose you've forgotten what dad ordered you to do?"

"Ichigo. Leave."

Undaunted Ichigo poked the other in the abs, "not to change the subject or nothing. But have you been working out? 'Cause it sure feels like it!"

Ulquiorra lazily opened one green eye to give a baleful stare, "what do you want?"

"You forgot to pick our cousin up at the depot," Ichigo said dryly, "dad reminded you this morning." Ulquiorra plucked a blade of grass and twirled between his fingers, "so? If you're so worried about 'him' then why don't you go pick 'him' up yourself?"

Rather than explain to him that their cousin happened to be a she and not a he; Ichigo just gave up, "well whatever. I haven't gotten my license yet and Grimmjow's got study hall…and if you won't go," he glanced at Ulquiorra, "I guess then that there's no helping it. Dad's going to be furious--"

"No he's not," Ulquiorra said turning over onto his side, "because. I'm his favorite."

Ichigo snorted and muttered almost inaudibly but Ulquiorra heard anyway, "no. Toshiro's his absolute favorite. Not you."

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A/N: not much happened did it? Well anyway, please review!


	3. Chapter 3 Terror in the dusk

A/N: thank you to everyone who reads this story, enjoy.

Three pm.

It was getting late.

The sun, Rukia noticed, began to slowly start to sink lower in the sky. It may have been sort of late in the day but not that LATE. And this place… 'Hueco Mundo' she'd never heard of a town called that, especially in the Japanese countryside.

She brushed an annoying bang out of her eyes and watched curiously as a 'tumbleweed' gusted by the wind rolled toward her…on second thought--a tumbleweed?!

What the heck?

There were no tumbleweeds in Japan--only in old American Westerns had she ever seen one.

And the sand…the area around the tracks…beneath her lace-up style Granny boots, was also all sand. It was everywhere. Not one blade of grass or vegetation was visible. She really hoped the town itself wasn't like this.

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Five pm.

The sun had almost all but disappeared.

Darkness was creeping up the sand dunes to the east; Rukia was huddled up on the bench, her coat thrown around her shoulders. The nights it seemed were chilly just like in the real deserts.

She had been forgotten.

Of all the luck…

She gave another quick glance outside the safety of the metal enclosure and let out a yelp.

Eyes.

Bright.

Yellow

And…

Glowing.

Were coming closer…

Rukia slid backwards in her scramble to tuck herself more into the bench as consequence she smacked her head and fell out onto the sandy ground.

This was it…

Dully beneath the dizzy ache of her head she recalled the night of Hisana's murder…

It was a night similar to this.

The shadow…falling on Hisana, her horrible screams…Byakuya's pale face as his oldest sister's lifeless body is carried out on a stretcher…Rukia a mere nine years old.

She knew it.

She was done for.

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A/N: comically ducks flying shoes, ahem. Pardon the shortness--I was sort of busy today. Now I have two choices--should Yoruichi be Dr.Grantz's: the dentist from Hell's assistant or should she be Gin Ichimaru's: the sneaky family doctor's assistant? Well whichever you'd prefer please let me know! Anyway…also a review or two would be nice.


	4. Chapter 4 Yoruichi

A/N: thank you to everyone who reads this story. Enjoy.

A sudden bright light beam shone in her face and Rukia cried out, "Aghhhh!!" She scrambled to a sitting position; her fingers numb with the cold wind that seemingly had appeared out of nowhere. The owner of the light was standing in total darkness; he or she suddenly turned the beam up into their face and yelled "Boo!"

Rukia shrieked and stumbled to her feet and started running; to Hell with the luggage whatever that thing was it could have it! There was nothing in the distance and vaguely she wondered where she would go, the twenty-mile long path leading to the town went the opposite way…she was heading for the hills.

A second later something hard and spiny struck her shin and she tumbled facedown this time. The tumbleweed…the damned ball of dried weeds…she'd tripped over it.

She heard a distinctly feminine chuckle and all at once she felt stupid.

She—a—Kuchiki had run from danger!

She had sullied the proud Kuchiki name.

Byakuya would be so ashamed.

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"Are you just going to lay there acting silly?" asked the voice. Rukia stood up shakily; her face set in a determined expression, not that the woman could actually see. "Who are you?" she asked trying to keep her voice steady. A small shaft of moonlight from the risen moon illuminated the woman's dark face and her toothy grin, "Yoruichi Shihoin at your service. We've been waiting for you, Ms. Kuchiki."

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On the car ride to Hueco Mundo, Rukia couldn't help but keep glancing at Yoruichi. At the sixth time, Yoruichi said dryly, "I can feel you staring at me. Is something wrong with my face?" Rukia shrunk guilty in the tan passengers seat, "n-no! It's just I was—" "Wondering what relation I have to Mr. Aizen? Isn't that right, Ms. Kuchiki?"

Rukia nodded then said, "yes," in case Yoruichi hadn't seen. "Well it's sort of complicated. I'm not DATING him…in case you're thinking that," Yoruichi grinned again her teeth—Rukia noticed seemed unnaturally pointy…like a cat's.

"Mr. Aizen is a close friend with my employer, Dr. Ichimaru, a general practitioner in treating all common ailments. His office is downtown next to the sweet shop Kuriya. His wife Rangiku works there as a cashier; she's a nice woman. I think you'd like her…hmm, Ms. Kuchiki?" Yoruichi paused with one hand on the steering wheel; Rukia had fallen asleep.

"How sweet. Just like a raven haired angel, you're more like HER, than you know," Yoruichi touched the girl's cheek lightly, "we've plans for you, Miss Rukia Kuchiki," she whispered.

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To be continued.

A/N: Oww! Those flying shoes hurt! Ducks a barrage of flying Panda heads; please review!


	5. Chapter 5 An inauspicious arrival

A/N: thank you to everyone who reads this story, enjoy.

The car pulled to an abrupt stop outside of a large white Colonial Georgian style mansion. At least that's what it was supposed to look like, Yoruichi informed a sleepy Rukia. The low wrought iron gates were open and a silver sports car was parked inside.

Rukia climbed stiffly out of the passengers' side with her two suitcases, Yoruichi looked at her steadily, "if you ever need me for anything drop by Dr. Ichimaru's office—I'm there from nine till six. If it's after hours than you can find me at Urahara shoten. Okay?"

Rukia remembered her manners, "yes I understand. Thank you for the ride, Yoruichi," she said making use of the familiar tone in which to address her.

The older woman smiled, "anytime, Miss Rukia," Yoruichi drove away leaving Rukia to contemplate the imposing cherry wood door and brass knocker.

Did they even have Mansions like this in Japan?

Rukia guessed so, since here she was standing on the doorstep of one.

She lifted the brass knocker and then hesitated, it was a peculiar thing--the knocker. The shape was triangular with small raised lettering running around the edges, Rukia couldn't see what it said but she could feel the bumpiness of it. For one reason or another it gave her chills to handle it and she dropped it fast, it fell with a slight thunk and she hurriedly wiped her sweaty palm on her gray mini-skirt.

She glanced once more at the large lighted bay window off to the left and squared her shoulders, preparing to knock with her fist. A second later a small click sounded and the door swung open by itself. A shower of light spilled on her from the lit crystal chandelier hanging high above on the vaulted ceiling, a smoothly polished staircase—again in rich cherry wood curved along the left wall. The floors were hard wood and gleamed her reflection back at her; Rukia was breathless from taking in the sight of such beauty that she didn't notice the slight shadow in the archway to the right.

"What are you doing here?"

The voice was so unexpected that Rukia yelped and caught her heel on the rug, tripping and in the process of trying to catch herself stumbled into a pillar in the corner…a second later a marble bust crashed to the floor shattering with an earsplitting crack.

"You Fool!" said the boy coldly.

Rukia dazed just like before, slid down to the floor beside the broken sculpture. The boy—she saw—had short black hair with the spiky ends brushing the collar of his green polo—that she had to say should've been a major faux-pas except…it matched his large freakily gorgeous green eyes. He was…handsome and having him glare down at her like she was some sort of bug--

"What on earth is going on here?" a man's voice floated from the top of the steps.

The boy roughly reached down and yanked Rukia up to her feet, "Father, there's been an accident—this girl—"

The man was coming down; two others flanked him—a taller man with a silver bob and a younger boy with spiky white hair, close in age to the one who held her so roughly.

"Rukia? Is that you?" inquired the man who was apparently the boy's father…, which would mean…

Oh no! Rukia cried inside, she'd obviously just massacred a piece of her Uncle's property.

The boy released her and backed away a few steps to get a better look at her, "Rukia? You mean to tell me—our Cousin's a GIRL!?"

The man—Uncle Sosuke gave his son a reproving look, "now, now, Ulquiorra, what did I teach you about being rude to family? Especially my dear niece…come here Rukia and give your old Uncle a hug!"

Rukia would've passed but seeing the look on his face—a kind fatherly expression made her change her mind, "I'm sorry to have to bother you by staying here, but—"

He cut her off, "it's no trouble, Rukia. After all you're a part of the family, right Toshiro?"

The white-haired boy nodded, "of course, Father," he smirked at Ulquiorra.

The latter glared and again Rukia was struck by just how handsome BOTH boys were; though Uncle Sosuke seemed a bit young to have these two as old as they seemed…she couldn't wait to meet the other two.

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To be continued.

A/N: well it's turning out just as I'd imagined it would. This is the longest chapter so far of the rewritten version. And yeah…Rukia is a bit of a fraidy cat…but she'll just get stronger in later chapters. I am plotting out a new chapter for The forbidden--I just finished yesterday--The one you left behind, which came out to be over three thousand words long just the last chapter! And it took me several days to do…so The Forbidden…unless I cut it shorter will take just as long. Adieu, please review.


	6. Chapter 6 'Uncle Gin'

A/N: thank you to everyone who reads this story, enjoy.

"Oh my! Where are my manners? Rukia-dear," Uncle Sosuke let her out of the bear hug and spun her around, "this man here is one of my closest friends, Dr. Gin Ichimaru." The silver haired man bowed slightly; his narrow violet eyes never leaving Rukia's face, "charmed, Miss Rukia. And might I interpose before formalities step in—you may address me as Uncle Gin—the boys do."

Rukia found the way the Doctor surveyed her like a—trophy or a horse that's for breeding—creepy.

"Uh…sure, Uncle Gin," his name felt like acid on her tongue.

Nobody seemed to notice.

"And two of my boys, Toshiro, and Ulquiorra," Uncle Sosuke hadn't finished speaking, "and uh—where's Grimmjow and Ichigo?" He glanced around as if expecting them.

Toshiro smiled at Rukia but seemed a bit disconcerted at the mention of his brothers. Ulquiorra stepped in, "father, Ichigo went out with his…friends," he'd hesitated just the slightest second –Rukia noticed. Father and son locked gazes for just a millisecond and then Uncle Sosuke went on as if dismissing the matter, "Dear, you must be starved from the trip. We've already had 'dinner'," here another surreptitious look with the boys, "so how about I fix you a little snack before you go on up?"

Rukia to her utmost surprise found she wasn't in the least bit hungry—though why she had no idea—back in Byakuya's apartment in Shinjuku; she'd eaten like a horse. "Uh, no. I'm fine," she said casting her infamous—harmless little old me—smile at the assembled men. It seemed to work wonders on Toshiro, Uncle Sosuke and—er—Uncle Gin, maybe Ulquiorra too—since his permaglare softened just the tiniest bit.

Seeing that made Rukia silently vow to make him smile by the end of the week.

Hey, a girl's got to have her goals, right?

Then she cemented her helpless female act by bowing and making as if in deep penance for the massacre of the marble bust. Which Uncle Sosuke immediately forgave her and Toshiro stayed behind to clean up the broken stone while she went upstairs with Ulquiorra to see her room.

After all there would be time to take a real tour of the house later on.

VIVIVIVIVIVIVIVIVIVIVIVI

Rukia couldn't help but gasp in giddy girlish excitement when she entered her new room.

It was a pity that Isane and Kiyone weren't here to jump around with her—not that she actually did with Ulquiorra and his big beautiful green eyes watching her every move. She definitely couldn't decide which of the Aizen boys was the best looking—the one with her right now was absolutely gorgeous—she could barely stand to look at him without her heart speeding up—scowl non-withstanding.

"So…do you like it?" Ulquiorra asked; the scowl was gone replaced by a strange undecipherable expression—almost like regret—Rukia decided. "Yeah! It's beautiful!" she went over to the large window and perched at the edge of the pink brocaded seat, "did you…?"

"Yes," he answered swiftly, "I chose the curtains and the bed linens. Toshiro did the paint; Grimmjow picked out the canopy bed and father did the odds and ends."

"Oh," Rukia sighed, "thank you for putting so much effort into making a girl like me feel welcome in your lives," she said sincerely. Ulquiorra's eyes wandered around the room; avoiding looking in her direction, "I-I'm sorry for…earlier and for not picking you up from the station," he said slightly reluctantly. Rukia shrugged, "no harm done. Just let it be water under the bridge," she intoned using one of Byakuya's old sayings.

Ulquiorra nodded; he leaned against the doorframe, "who gave you a ride? Father was supposed to—if I didn't—but then Gin showed up with Toshiro and he—"

"Forgot." Rukia finished for him, "yeah, it was um…Uncle Gin's assistant, Yoruichi. She showed up and scared the hell out of…" she trailed off; Ulquiorra wasn't listening.

He had left the room.

How strange.

Rukia thought, once she'd gotten settled in her new- roomy- cushy -canopy bed and closed the filmy curtains.

Ulquiorra hadn't addressed Dr. Ichimaru as 'Uncle Gin.'

He'd just called him "Gin."

And what was up with those weird looks he'd been giving her?

Definitely strange…

Not to mention that slight emphasis on DINNER—she'd have sworn that Uncle Sosuke had done.

And was it just her imagination or did Ulquiorra's canines look especially sharp?

Just like a wolf's…

Or a Werewolf…

A vivid imagination she decided a moment later…

Could get a girl in some serious trouble.

Sooner or later she'd start spouting off about Vampires again or Werewolves—making years of counseling null.

Maybe she should call up her old psychiatrist Dr. Shiba tomorrow, just for old times sake.

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To be continued.

A/N: thanks psychegloom for the idea—I think I'll try it out here. Anyway I apologize for the chapter delay—it did take me longer to write out this one than any of the others…well, until chap.7. Ciao! Note: this is STILL about Vampires, okay?


	7. Chapter 7 Breakfast

A/N: thank you to everyone who reads this story, enjoy.

The morning, Rukia had to admit refreshed her spirit from the night's worry over the silly thought that her cousins were a tribe of Werewolves. Ridiculous. She knew. But that's what comes of going to bed with an empty stomach.

Her robe—a deep royal blue down to the ankles- wraparound she slipped on over the polka dot shorts and a tank that composed her usual nightwear and went downstairs.

Sunlight filtered in the bay window situated near the front door. The floors she marveled at anew and even stopped for a whole four minutes to study a different sculpture gracing the pillar in the corner. It was of a fat cherub rising up in a spiral; hands making supplicating gestures pleaded with the little angel at the base, what Rukia was most impressed with however was the remarkably lifelike face carved onto the cherub.

"Impressive. Isn't it?"

Rukia miraculously didn't shriek and reverently replied to Toshiro, "yes. I've never seen anything so…so detailed!" she said but didn't voice her curiosity—were they perhaps Christians?

As he turned away to lead her to the breakfast nook, her suspicions were confirmed, Toshiro wore a rounded silver Celtic cross around his neck.

Interesting.

Through a set of wide creamy yellow double French doors they entered what his brothers called 'the nook,' Toshiro explained quietly—quiet—because upon seeing him in the doorway with Rukia he was immediately pounced on by Grimmjow.

Rukia squeezed by; the last two Aizen boys weren't quite what she'd expected.

One—the middle son—Grimmjow, had a head full of slicked back teal hair.

TEAL.

Literally.

Even his eyes, which she noticed when he'd finished crushing Toshiro, were teal.

His stature was incredible; he towered over Ulquiorra who was at the stove flipping eggs in a skillet, not that he even greeted her. Rukia went up to him instead and said pleasantly, "good morning, Ulquiorra."

To which he replied, "it's not morning anymore since you overslept."

She still kept the cheery smile on her face; inwardly she muttered, 'bastard,' and made her way to the table where only one person still sat.

The fourth son—the youngest, Ichigo; his hair was a bright pumpkin orange stuck up in spikes, his eyes were a warm golden honey color the likes of which Rukia had never seen before.

And his facial features…

She tried not to stare.

And failed dismally.

"What are you looking at?" Ichigo asked coldly.

It wasn't the abnormal color of his hair or the beautiful ochre of his eyes that had her staring.

No.

It was his uncanny resemblance to her old psychiatrist, Dr. Kaien Shiba.

They must've had all different mothers, Rukia theorized; Uncle Sosuke, she realized that she didn't know much about him.

In fact he wasn't even present at the table.

"Heh. So you've finally noticed, eh, cousin?" Toshiro slid onto the bar stool next to her, carrying a plate of what looked like ham n' eggs-very western.

Rukia batted her lashes, "noticed what?" she asked innocently hoping he'd take the bait.

He did.

"Notice that even though we call ourselves BROTHERS," Toshiro glanced at the others now seated, "we don't look nothing like each other nor do we resemble father in the slightest." Rukia hadn't seen him do it but suddenly the plate of eggs and ham was in front of her; nobody had anything else but a mug of some black liquid that she assumed was coffee beside them. Toshiro took a sip of his and shuddered slightly, "Ulqui, do you always have to make the damn—coffee so bitter?" he shot a frosty glare at Ulquiorra who didn't even flinch.

Seriously.

Did anything ever ruffle his feathers?

Maybe not.

Toshiro shook his head, "anyway. Father—your Uncle traveled the world writing best-selling travel guides before he settled down here, he's a romance novelist by trade," he smirked as said it, "and us boys…well I was the first. Adopted here in Japan from Okinawa after that he traveled on assignment to Germany where he found Ulquiorra and Spain was where Grimmjow is originally from. Now Ichigo was from…um…I think it's Nagano. I'm not sure since it's been so many years. Our middle names," Toshiro suddenly grinned and again Rukia was uncomfortably made aware of his extremely pointy teeth similar to Ulquiorra's.

"Are our former last names. Of course now we carry Aizen as a last name. But mine was Hitsugaya. Grimmjow's was Jeagerjaques, Ulqui's- Schiffer and Ichigo's- Kurosaki," Toshiro said. Rukia was starting to eat the eggs that surprisingly hadn't turned rubbery.

'Toshiro it seemed was by far the nicest out of all of the boys.

Not quite the best good-looking though.

He did have an extremely cute face— Kiyone would've said he was a hottie.

Rukia didn't think so.

Ulquiorra, cold permascowl ass though he was, still was by far the most handsome in her mind.

I wonder if he has a girlfriend…?'

Ichigo scowled when he looked at her as If he could sense her secret thoughts; it seemed he might just have a permafrown to match Ulquiorra's permascowl…maybe they weren't so unrelated as they previously thought.

'Then again,' Rukia was relieved, 'Uncle Gin hadn't made an appearance. That was something to be thankful for in itself.'

A minute later the front door was heard opening and Rukia's relief melted away.

'Why speak of the devil!'

"Hi, kids!" Gin sauntered in casually greeting them.

More than ever the man reminded her of a snake and she his prey.

Damned imagination! She cursed.

Maybe she really should give Dr. Shiba a call.

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To be continued

A/N: a bit slow. But I promise the pace should pick up soon.


	8. Chapter 8 Sightseeing in Hueco Mundo

A/N: thank you and enjoy.

Rukia's appetite was ruined.

Didn't the man have a wife?

Maybe even kids?

So what was he doing hassling HER-mainly and joking with the boys?!

It just wasn't fair!

Although…

It seemed that she might have at least one ally in the whole family—Ichigo.

While Gin served himself a plate of…just toast and milk, Ichigo made as if to leave the table. Rukia took a small bite of food and covertly scanned the other occupants—Grimmjow was asking about auto parts, Toshiro was at the microwave reheating his coffee and Ulquiorra was submerged into…staring at Rukia.

Okaaaay.

Say that again?

Staring.

At.

Her.

Not friendly either.

More of…hmm…she couldn't discern it…

Gin returned to the table and seated himself as close as possible to her, "so. Rukia dear how went your first night here with the boys?" Definitely. This man was annoying. Rukia tried to shoot pleading looks at Ulquiorra for help. Unfortunately he was just as dense and as unreadable as always. And Gin was waiting for his answer.

"Oh. It was fine!" Rukia waved a hand flippantly at him, "not long after you left I turned in for the night—I was just so tired! Would you believe the train from Shinjuku took five hours to reach the nearest station here? You guys really do live far out in the countryside!"

Gin smiled—well so far it seemed that's all he did—"far out…for sure," he shared a brief look with Toshiro. Rukia decided it was time to make her escape. "If you'll excuse me? I have to go freshen up…it'll just take me…a little while." She got up and beat a hasty retreat.

Not that she was the only one.

Ichigo was already gone.

VIIIVIIIVIII

Twenty minutes later—true to her word—Rukia was dressed in a clean pair of wide-legged trousers and a thin scoop-necked cashmere sweater, a pair of knee high side zipper boots completed her outfit—all in black. Tres chic.

From halfway down the stairs she could still hear the sounds of forks clinking…and Gin's smooth slithery voice talking. He was saying---

"Ichigo!"

Rukia clattered down the steps and ran to the front door, "you're going out?" The orange haired boy hesitated, his hand on the knob, "yeah. I'm going out, midget. What? You want to come?" She glanced back at the opulent foyer and knew sooner or later that 'Dr. Gin' would grace her with his presence. Ichigo was a jerk. But he wasn't so bothersome like…

"Let's go!" Rukia placed her small hand on his leather blazer covered arm, "what? Aren't you gonna show your cousin around town?"

VIII

The town of Hueco Mundo, Rukia had to admit seemed pretty dead.

He himself hadn't gotten his license yet, Ichigo explained, so if she wanted to look around any it would have to be on foot.

"That's okay." She told him smilingly.

Ichigo just rolled his eyes at her outfit particularly her choice in boots.

Bastard.

Well.

Maybe that was a little harsh.

He did slow down his pace enough for her to keep up.

They passed by an avenue of gray row houses; not a soul was about which Rukia was surprised by since it was a weekend. Once she swore she saw a hand part the curtains to peer outside but then quickly retreat after she suspected they saw Ichigo.

Strange.

After about walking the length of four small blocks, Ichigo announced that they'd reached the center of town. It was still empty and more than a little eerie with their footsteps echoing off the pavement. Further down she spotted a small grassy enclosure with a few metal benches inside, a worn sign near the edge read—Suiseishou Park.

"And this is our one and only Park in town," Ichigo said pausing at the curb to retie his sneakers. Rukia went a few steps then stopped; there was a man sitting on one of the benches. He had sandy blonde hair sticking out from beneath his green striped hat and he seemed to talking to himself.

"Ichigo, who's that?" Rukia whispered to him. Ichigo glanced unconcernedly at the man, "oh that's just Urahara, the town's crazy person. He's not homeless since he runs a shop at the edge of town…uh I think it's called Urahara shoten or something. He sells really weird stuff in there—if he sells anything at all—most of the time the store's empty."

"Urahara shoten, huh?" Rukia muttered to herself.

"What? Did you say something?" Ichigo looked at her sharply.

"Uh…no. I was just curious about why the town was so empty on a sunny Saturday afternoon," Rukia quickly lied.

"Oh, it's always like this."

Was it her or did Ichigo seem relieved?

VIII

"They've left, Yoruichi," Urahara said, reaching down to stroke the back of a sleek black cat. "Finally," the cat muttered ignoring his hand and jumping on the bench, "so what did you think of the Kuchiki?" Urahara rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "well…she's cute!" he said playfully avoiding Yoruichi's claw.

"Hmph! You always say that, pervert," Yoruichi said disgustedly.

Urahara chuckled and then a shadow crossed his face, "we'll need her help," he said suddenly serious, "if the clan is to be destroyed."

"Indeed."

………………………………………………………………………………….

To be continued.


	9. Chapter 9 Library incident

A/N: thank you and enjoy.

The house was empty upon their return from the hour's long walk. A note on the dining room table explained a jaunt over to Karakura city to get 'something special' for dinner. Clearly, Dr. Gin had gone with them and might, to Rukia's utmost horror, be back for dinner.

Ichigo didn't seem surprised by the Doctor's invitation.

He dined with them quite often seeing as he was his father's closest friend.

Rukia looked at the tidy scrawl on the paper once more and opened her mouth to ask about the phone service.

She blinked.

He was gone.

Just a second ago he'd been standing in the doorway frowning and the next…up above a door slammed shut. Her lips parted in amazement. _'How on--?'_

A quick thought occurred to her and she hurried out into the foyer.

Maybe—

Nobody.

She'd thought that the other boys might've gotten there and that Ichigo just didn't have superhuman speed. But no Car was parked out in front and now the house was silent except for the rapid ticking of keyboard keys coming from her Uncle's private study off to the left.

Rukia glanced around the small area and instead of having the feeling of a lived-in home it had the sense of a Museum showcase. A place to be admired but lacking the necessary elements that make a house a home.

Warmth, she decided.

That's what it lacked; she shivered and scuttled off into another part of the house.

Upon turning the corner she was confronted by a new hallway and several doors, the first two she tried were locked and wouldn't budge. The third opened into a large library complete with a winding metal staircase in the corner; despite being sort of creepy when empty, the house she had to admit was pretty big.

The bookshelves were full of mostly leather-bound tomes, the newer ones were along the middle row of one shelf and she approached it curiously. "Memories from the Ri-viera," she muttered, pulling out a thin colorful book much like a pamphlet. It was full of photos and descriptions of famous restaurants and beaches; Rukia flipped through it idly and was amused by the old picture of a younger Sosuke Aizen—the author, in the back of it.

She chuckled and slipped it back into place.

Beside it were other such books on Barcelona Spain, Cities near the Rhine in Germany and the last one…Romanian mythology, pictures included. Rukia felt a very slight feeling of dread drop into her stomach as she went straight to the last page—a picture.

His face, she saw disbelievingly, looked the same as it did now.

No wrinkles, no gray hairs, although he might use hair dye.

But for some reason she doubted that was the case.

Rukia scanned the rest of the shelves frantically; there they were on the highest shelf—the Romance novels he'd last written.

…………………………………………….

A few minutes later, Rukia stood in the center of a small table and stretched upward. Her fingers just barely grazed the shelf edge; regretfully she glanced down at her boots lying on the floor. Another two or three inches that was all she needed. Again she stretched up, her toes were on edge…her body started shaking, she made a wild lunge for the two newest looking books. The library door creaked open; she wasn't pay attention.

Her fingers grasped the books, the next second she fell backwards…

Into someone's waiting arms.

…………………………………………….

A/N: Please review. Oh and have a Happy Thanksgiving!


	10. Chapter 10 For the blood is the life

A/N: thank you and enjoy.

It could've been sheer coincidence that Ichigo had walked in right at the moment of her fall…and just happened to be close enough to dart forward and catch her by the shoulders before she sustained any real damage.

Or.

The alternate.

He really did have superhuman speed.

Rukia decided upon the former.

It was just too much of a stretch and now she had to wonder.

What in the world was he?

Certainly not human.

"Are you okay?" his tone sounded worried, which surprised her.

"Y-Yeah," she answered shakily, up close his eyes were even dreamier than Ulquiorra's.

A luminescent deep honey color, Rukia decided.

She made an effort to disguise the slight blush creeping onto her cheeks and answered as steadily as she could manage, "Thanks."

Ichigo helped her down and then cast a cursory glance from the disturbed bookshelf to the lone book she clutched at her side, "what were you doing up there?" he asked slightly suspicious, "there's plenty of 'other' things much lower that you could've reached, midget."

She flushed with more embarrassment than anger, but noticed one little detail, "what's it to you? If I want to look at something from a higher shelf than I'll get up there and get it myself without," she glanced at him, "asking for 'your' help."

"True enough."

She caught the ghost of a smile trace his mouth.

……………………………………………….X

Getting the book had been hard and she'd meant to snag the other one on the shelf too. But hiding it was even worse. After she'd followed Ichigo out of the library and gotten to the foyer…dinner was done. Apparently it was fancy takeout; Rukia was slightly disappointed.

A cooked dinner from her new family would've been interesting to say nothing of the fact that Dr. Gin probably would have helped in the preparation. That part she was a little worried about especially since 'her' plate was already served and waiting on the table—done by the good Doctor no less.

Rukia eyed the tender stalks of bamboo shoots and finely sliced pink Salmon with a wary glance. No one else seemed to be having any problem eating now. The boys were shoveling it in unlike earlier and even stranger was the tiny bottle of reddish liquid that sat prominently near the center of the table. Of course Rukia knew that the other larger slim-necked bottle that contained black liquid was soy sauce…but the other-?

She watched interestedly as Toshiro grabbed the smaller bottle and squirted a generous amount on his sliced fish. Rukia thought to ask what it was but had a sneaking suspicion that they might lie to her. The pilfered novel was under her leg and she was reminded of the two incidents with Ichigo again.

What was it?

They seemed normal to her now.

Just like any other family in Japan having dinner.

Maybe she was the one that had something wrong with her.

Thinking that just maybe—

Rukia shook her head slightly to clear it.

Here she was doing it again.

Creating a psychosis from nothing just to atone for her own guilt in thinking she'd caused Hisana's death.

Survivors' guilt, Dr. Shiba had called it.

Rukia swallowed hard and picked up her fork to take a bite, just then Grimmjow who had sat next to her got up to serve himself another plate. The little bottle's ruby red liquid caught her eye and winked hypnotically; slowly she reached out and took a hold of it. Closer up, the liquid had a deeper tinge similar to that of blood, curiosity overcame her slight disgust at it and she carefully uncorked the bottle, preparing to add a small dab to the edge of her plate.

"Don't do that!"

Startled, Rukia nearly dropped the bottle.

It was Toshiro who'd noticed what she'd been doing and yelled

Of course now, everybody had been alerted to her and several pairs of eyes scrutinized her; rather unkindly she thought.

"W-Why?" she asked, dismayed to have her voice shake like a child's caught doing something bad, "I mean what is it?"

Her uncle recovered first, "Why? Why, Rukia dear, that is a very expensive and rare wine you have there. It's merely—for fish. Like a specialty. I picked it up while in Barcelona several years ago and—" he cast a soothing fatherly smile at her specifically, "since you're so young, it wouldn't have been appropriate for you to have any. Because what sort of father would I be if I allowed you to taste spirits at dinner?"

She blushed and looked down guiltily, "I'm sorry," she murmured and set the bottle on the table.

Uncle Sosuke smiled, "no harm done. Now, Rukia, I expect that you'll avoid things you aren't offered, right?"

"Yes," was her sheepish reply.

………………………………………..X

Once alone, she threw herself tiredly on the large bed.

The novel lay untouched on her nightstand.

Different ideas and thoughts went through her mind but most of them she discarded.

The little bottle was secured in a locked cabinet in the Library—surprisingly.

Her Uncle kept a stash of Liquor hidden behind a false bookshelf; he had shown to her presumably so that if she'd ever stumbled upon it she wouldn't be scandalized—as he put it. As if 'she' as old as she was would even be surprised at finding Liquor hidden away.

Yeah right.

Rukia sighed and turned over feeling quite like a beached whale…that needed to take a bath, she recalled suddenly. Back in the apartment in Shinjuku she had always taken one each day. Damn. Reluctantly she got up and gathered her things—a clean pink nightgown, fuzzy slippers and her usual dark blue robe. Her bedroom had a connecting bathroom so she was lucky in the respect that she wouldn't have to share one with any of the boys.

She walked in and flipped the light on.

Pink wallpaper dotted with tiny Tea roses, a porcelain claw foot tub in the corner, pedestal sink and up above was a wide skylight that gave a beautiful view of the night sky…the stars shone brilliantly without the light of the moon.

It was a 'Dark moon,' Rukia remembered her brother saying one night long ago while standing at the window in their apartment.

'Why was it called that?' she'd asked.

'Well, the modern term is 'new moon,' Byakuya had explained, 'in olden days it was believed that Vampires drew strength from the invisible moon. Hence the name—Dark moon.'

"A Dark moon," Rukia now whispered to herself; the night when Vampires were freest to walk the earth, she slipped her blouse over her head and let it slide to a black puddle on the floor. Vampire. Bloodsucker. The two tiny puncture wounds on Hisana's throat found after the autopsy…the official cause of death was a broken neck however, not blood loss.

Rukia gritted her teeth as bitter familiar memories assaulted her.

'Survivors' guilt,' she repeated firmly.

Nothing could be done about it, not anymore.

After a while of reminiscing, she finished undressing and stepped into the filled tub for a long relaxing soak.

……………………………………..X

Amber eyes blinked; down below Rukia had settled into the tub and was quickly becoming drowsier by the second.

"That bastard," Ichigo muttered.

A small thump thudded the shingles and then light footsteps crossed the slanted roof; "I thought I'd find you here, Ichigo."

The orange-haired boy scowled in the darkness, "Toshiro…"

Without the moon and only the stars casting their light, Toshiro was in deep shadow, "you know, you really ought to keep your hands off of what belongs to your older brothers," he advised softly.

Ichigo leaned back, "oh cool it, 'Shiro. I'm not after her," his amber eyes surveyed the lithe shadow that was his oldest brother, "so…have you decided if you want her or not? Or does Ulquiorra get the prize?" He'd kept his voice light and teasing but Toshiro could hear the slight catch in his tone.

"I'm not sure yet. Ulquiorra said he would take her…but since I'm older than him—"

"You need it too," Ichigo finished.

"Yeah. And you know just how hard it is to find one of the true bloods of the four Houses. The ideal perfection of tainted blood needed to merge with our own accursed line."

"Our destroyers, are our salvation," Ichigo said quietly, looking down once again at the sleeping raven headed girl. The drug, Gin had administered had knocked her out like a light.

Soon the true Dark moon would rise.

…………………………………………………………

To be continued.

A/N: very long chappie. Please review.


	11. Chapter 11 Church

A/N: thank you and enjoy.

The water was freezing when she woke up.

It was a miracle that she hadn't drowned; falling asleep in the bathtub was one of the worst things you could do.

In fact…what 'had' woken her up?

Rukia straightened up out of her reclining position and glanced furtively around the room.

The overhead light illuminated the small area leaving no unlit corners where someone might hide.

Then she heard it.

A single footstep on the one creaky board in her bedroom…just outside the bathroom's door, maybe one of the boys needed something? She leaned from side to side; the door was cracked open and the tiniest bit of light from the other room filtered in.

"H-hello? Is someone there?"

……………………………..XI

A heavy thud shook the roof suddenly and then three booms struck almost as if a giant was running up there.

Rukia looked up startled.

Her question for the most part went unanswered.

……………………………XI

"Was there an earthquake or something last night?"

Toshiro and Ulquiorra exchanged glances, "what are you talking about?"

Rukia leaned forward on her elbows; the four boys were present at the dining room table, excluding Dr. Gin and her Uncle. " I mean, the pounding and footsteps. It wasn't exactly like an earthquake," she made a face and pushed the congealed bowl of oatmeal away. Today's breakfast consisted of Maple sugar apple oatmeal, Bon a petit. After one spoonful she'd politely stirred it employing the oldest trick known to picky eaters—she usually wasn't one—making it look as if she'd eaten more than she had.

Even when Grimmjow had taken her cold bowl away and proffered another—she'd declined.

Politely again.

Always polite, Byakuya had taught his baby sister that much.

The table was quiet.

Rukia sighed, it seemed as though they were never going to answer her questions.

……………………….…XI

Take this morning for instance.

After getting out of the tub, drying off and then dressing and falling into an uneasy slumber—there was no evidence of anyone being in her room. She'd been rather rudely summoned up at six am by a knock at the door…it was Ulquiorra looking especially debonair in a maroon shirt with cuffs and black slacks, "Church, in an hour."

That was all he'd said and then vanished as quickly as he'd appeared.

Even before she had closed the door, he was gone.

Extremely weird, maybe he was just like Ichigo.

Undoubtedly, Rukia figured.

Sooo, since Byakuya had always taken such a lax view on religion—being neither Shinto nor a Buddhist, she was sort of looking forward to her first Christian service. Christian, she knew, because of the cross, handed to her by Toshiro before they had left the house. It complemented her pink cut to the knee dress and long white sweater.

In her excitement, Rukia had forgotten to take a look at the pilfered Romance novel.

……………………….XI

The church turned out to be a white clapboard building situated at the edge of town across from Urahara Shoten. Rukia eyed the small wood frame store with a mystical showcase displayed in the one window. 'Magic supplies,' a sign over the display read. That seemed a bit of an oddity to have a 'Magic' store across from a Church.

And considering the size of Hueco Mundo, the Church itself was a bit small.

The interior was exactly as she'd expected, plain wood pews, tiny pulpit up in front…and no other honest God-fearing citizens in evidence. What the heck was going on?!

The boys stalked in; Ichigo in particular had a certain way about him that reminded her of an animal's grace—his very poise spoke of unreleased aggression. Ulquiorra gave off a different aura more of the Victor coming home after a battle, especially the way he wrapped his arm possessively around her shoulders when she sat beside him. Toshiro seemed like a beaten dog, his usually lively green eyes were dull and dispirited. Grimmjow had hung back—he'd been the only one Rukia really hadn't talked to or hung around.

Silently she vowed to get to know him better in the coming weeks once school started again.

A door opened and the Vicar appeared.

Tall and white-haired, he didn't seem old at all, his face was smooth and unlined and when he began the service, Rukia got lost in the sheer force of his words. Never had she heard the ancient scriptures so lovingly retold and the very way he described the story of Daniel in the Lions' den, made it feel as if he'd actually been there. And in the last half hour he recounted the tale of Christ's crucifixion on the Cross-, she was in tears.

………………………………..XI

"It was a beautiful service," she praised Pastor Ukitake as he'd introduced himself as.

"Thank you," he beamed, "you must be the niece that Sosuke said he was going to adopt. Rukia—right?"

"Yes, sir," Rukia smiled; Ulquiorra stood beside her.

The one thing that had unnerved her about his closeness was the smirk she'd caught him flash at Ichigo when the two had met gazes across the aisle—Ichigo had sat alone in the opposite pew during the service. His return look made her face burn with embarrassment. Clearly he liked her. More than just 'family.' And Ulquiorra literally dragging her away didn't help.

"You should come next Sunday, Rukia!" Pastor Ukitake had called after them.

Really, what on earth was Ulquiorra plotting?

He'd lead her outside all the way to the small graveyard behind the Church building. The graves were all above ground as per the cremation practice traditional in Japan. Two rows down from the end, Ulquiorra stopped, his brows knitted together and a slight frown creased his mouth. For some reason he couldn't meet her eyes even when she tugged on his hand, "come on, the others might leave without—"

"They won't," he said swiftly.

Not so much reassuringly as to placate the uncomfortable mood setting in around them.

Rukia kicked a pinecone and it bounced against a headstone shooting back to strike her shin, "yowch!"

Stupid pinecone, she cursed mentally.

"Rukia," he'd said quietly. Still fuming about the pinecone and giving her shin a light rub, she didn't notice the way he was looking at her. "Rukia," louder now. She glanced up and lowered her foot from the gravestone's edge, "hmm?" Her eyes grew large when she caught sight of the abnormal pink coloring his pale cheeks. "Next weekend there's a harvest festival in Karakura city, would you consider going with 'me'?"

Notwithstanding, the slight emphasis on 'me' she thought he meant that it was a 'family' outing and he wanted to know if she would allow him to monopolize her time. They were Cousins after all…even if it wasn't by blood, just on paper. So that would mean he wasn't asking her out on a…date, right?

No.

He wasn't.

"Sure," she said after a moment of hesitation, "of course, I'd be happy to go with you!"

Rukia smiled up at him.

He looked relieved.

And up toward the Cemetery entrance a sharp crack sounded and a branch, she saw, was thrown to the ground and a familiar head of spiky orange hair stalked away…just what was 'his' problem?

…………………………………….

To be continued.


	12. Chapter 12 Kiss me

A/N: thank you, enjoy.

The entire week went by smoothly with one exception.

Ichigo avoided her like the plague.

'What? Do I have measles, or something?' she thought wryly as he brushed by her in the hallway, averting his face as he did so. She glanced back at his retreating form, shoulders set in obvious defiance, 'I really must speak to him to figure out what his problem is…'

Rukia followed him upstairs.

It seemed that he was now oblivious to her presence since at the landing, she rounded the corner and the next second she swore he'd just been there and all she saw was his bedroom door swinging shut. Speaking of…superhuman speed. Rukia paused and cast a quick glance down to the foyer where she knew Toshiro was waiting to take her out on a drive. She knew he'd wait for her, after all this should only take a minute or two.

Resolutely, she squared her shoulders and went up to his door and—the lock clicked on the other side.

Bastard.

As if he sensed her intentions, another click and _Gackt_ began blaring.

Never one to give up, Rukia pounded on the door, "Ichigo! It's me, open up!"

If possible, the music got louder.

"Damn you," she hissed and applied a smart kick to the door panel—wearing Western style cowgirl boots did help get her point across. For when the next kick hit, the door came unlatched and Rukia walked in haughtily. Her eyes were immediately drawn to the bed where Ichigo lay on his back staring up at the ceiling; the offending CD player sat inconspicuously on his antique dresser. Apparently, Uncle Sosuke was fond of old things since most of the furnishings in the house were 'antiques.'

"Ichigo," she started to say then paused; that damn music just had to go.

She turned her back to him and began fiddling with the tiny buttons on the top of the player, abruptly the playback stopped. Satisfied, Rukia opened her mouth to speak and then _Namie Amuro's_ haunting voice filled the room.

(Moshi ima kanashimi)---~ English: (If you are filled with sadness)

_Afureru nara, watashi ni motarete…naite ii kara__)---~ English: (you can lean on me)_

_I get, I get, I get, get the feeling_

_I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming_

_(__Tada kono mama__)---~ English: (Just like the way it was)_

_Come my way_

_(__Kono yami no hotari__)---~ English: (Alone in this darkness)_

_Come close to me_

_(__Ima akari tomoshi__)---~ English: (Now I'll shine some light)_

_I'll be with you; I'll be with you_

_(__Tada koko ni iru kara__)---~ English: (I'll stay beside you)_

_So come my way._

……………………………………….XII

Rukia couldn't believe her luck.

The guy actually liked a girly emo song.

What was it called--?

"Come," Ichigo murmured to the ceiling.

She swore he heard her thoughts.

"What…are you?" she found herself asking in a low voice.

The music wasn't any lower in volume but he could hear her just fine.

"Are you sure you really want to know?"

…………………………………..….XII

Rukia jumped a foot in the air.

His voice…he'd just whispered in her ear and yet…the bed was empty.

He stood behind her, slowly he placed his hands on her sweater-clad shoulders and turned her completely around to face him. His expression uncertain and careful as he cupped her face gently and tilted it up, "I asked you a question," his tone was slightly teasing yet at the same time he sounded deadly serious, "do you really want to know 'what' I am?"

She stared straight into his amber honey eyes and caught a brief glimpse of the sorrow that lay just beneath the surface; his abrasive tough guy act was just that…an act. Suddenly she had a surge of pity for this…creature, an unloved thing. To never know the real warmth of another living Human… "How sad you are," Rukia whispered. Her violet eyes were tearing up, Ichigo raised a finger and wiped one away; he studied it curiously as if he'd never seen tears before, "you're crying for me?"

The song played on in the background.

Come my way

_(__Mou hitomi tojite__)---~ English: (Close your eyes)_

_Come close to me_

It seemed almost ridiculous.

Had no one ever cried for him?

(_Mou nemurebaii_)---~ English: (_And sleep_)

"You shouldn't. You know," his expression closed up suddenly, "I don't deserve any tears shed for me."

She looked at him startled, "what are you—"

_I'll be with you; I'll be with you._

He ran a hand through his unruly orange locks, "I thought you wanted to know my reasons for avoiding you. "

"Yes—but I-"

(_Tada koko ni iru kara_)---~ English: (_I'll stay beside you)_

" If you have nothing to say to me. Then get out. Leave."

_So come my way_

Unpredictably his mood had changed and Rukia was unsure of how to handle it.

The only bad thing was with each sharp glare he sent her way as he moved back toward the bed, her temper worsened. Get on her bad side and there would be Hell to pay, too bad Ichigo didn't know that.

"You…self-absorbed, ungrateful, pumpkin-headed bastard!"

He whirled around, "what did you just say?!"

That touched a nerve, she smirked, "exactly what you heard, Baka."

"Midget!"

………………………………………XII

Back and forth they exchanged insults.

It was sort of like violent flirting.

Actually it 'was' a little silly, but she didn't care until…

"You're a real cold-hearted bastard, you know that?"

He went livid.

She could tell because of the way his jaw tightened.

"You…have no idea…how true that statement is."

"What?"

In two strides he forcefully pushed her against the nearest wall and placed her hand on his chest.

"Tell me…what do you feel?"

His shirt was warm but nothing accompanied that warmth like the missing beating of a…heart.

She had difficulty forming a coherent sentence, "ho-w?"

"Shouldn't you ask why, *'sweet Juliet'?"

………………………………..XII

Rukia could only stare up at him in horror.

There was no heartbeat.

Only 'dead' people have no need for their hearts to beat.

What the Hell was he?!

Observing her horrified expression, he laughed mirthlessly, "Now do you understand a little more, Miss Rukia Kuchiki? Or do I have to explain it in simpler terms? No…why don't I just show you!"

Without even she seeing him move an inch, he had her immobile and pinned by the back of the hair, her face conveniently tilted up. "Mmm, just the way I like it," he muttered, his hot breath on her throat. She couldn't help but squeal when his moist mouth landed at the base of her neck and slowly he made his way up to her parted lips.

The kiss was painful.

He made it quite obvious that he liked to kiss with teeth.

And also liked the taste of blood.

…………………………………XII

"How dare you!"

It was pure outrage that gave her the strength to shove him away.

He only took one step back, watching amusedly while she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, a slick stain of blood and his saliva came off. "You…you bastard!" Rukia started shaking, her small fists balled up and she flew at him enraged. Chuckling, he caught her hands and held them high, "why so upset? Ulquiorra's probably done MORE than kiss that mouth of yours."

"He'd do no such thing!" Quickly she defended him and added, "He's not 'like' 'you'."

"He's not like 'me'?" Ichigo shook his head, "that's where you're mistaken, Miss Rukia Kuchiki. Ulquiorra 'is' exactly like me. On every level, in every way."

Suddenly she swung her foot out and kneed him in the groin—well male anatomy wasn't her best subject.

It seemed to do the trick for he cursed loudly and let her go.

Darting past him she reached the door and turned the handle; _LM.C_t began to play.

_Step by step (__kimi to deatte toki wo wasurete odoriakashita /hoshi ni yadoru sadame/ wo shirazuni__)---~ English: (I forgot the times we met by chance and danced /'til dawn/Without knowing the fate that dwells in the stars…) _

"Wait…Rukia! I'm so—"

She paused, her back to him, the handle motionless in her hand.

/I can't stop falling in love/

She didn't know why she said it later…but the words…cruel…hurt more than she'd meant them to.

"I despise you."

……………………………………XII

To be continued.

A/N: please review.


	13. Chapter 13 Sticks and stones

A/N: thank you very much! Enjoy.

How did the saying go?

Oh, yeah, now she recalled it, 'sticks and stones may break my bones; but words will never hurt me.'

Something to that extent anyway, modern teenagers-or-the ones she knew always took her slightly abrasive, bossy attitude in stride. Kiyone usually sited that aforementioned phrase. And like most instances when they'd really fight or maybe she'd have words with Byakuya over something as petty as a 'new blouse' per se. Rukia would always stalk huffily from the tiny kitchen and march down to her room at the end of the hall and slam the door shut to prove her point.

At which, when she'd finally reappear her 'dear' brother would be terribly contrite and give in to her tireless requests. All to keep her happy. A notion brought to light by Dr. Shiba and even slightly encouraged by the handsome doctor. Oh yes, he was devastatingly handsome; where as Ichigo-was not. That wasn't to say Ichigo was a total dog, he wasn't—well maybe his personality is, she thought grimly.

What boy in their right mind would dare to assault their Cousin-only on paper-have no heart beat-be against the laws of nature and still DARE to pass her the occasional glare at dinner. Bastard! There was also Baka! She preferred bastard, though, to anything else.

On Friday two days after 'the incident' of which she'd said nothing to Uncle Sosuke and as she cautiously inspected her bottom lip in the mirror, a swift knock rattled the bathroom 'door'. Like usual when she was in it, this door was kept firmly closed for obvious privacy reasons. She couldn't be having the boys barge in on her while she was primping or…doing who knows what else.

"Rukia, I wanted to tell you I'll be leaving now," Toshiro's voice came through the wood panels slightly muffled.

"I'll be out in just a sec," she muttered, flipping the faucet off and giving her hands a quick rub on the towel by the sink. She unlatched the door; Toshiro was dressed in khaki cargo pants, a blue-checkered shirt and modest black loafers, a thin woolen jacket was slung over his arm. Rukia clasped her hands together and tried to maintain a semblance of cool composure. She felt like what she imagined a doting mother might feel when their child goes away to college.

College.

That's where the eldest Aizen son was heading.

Byakuya had never fully discussed the idea of _her _going away to College. He himself had attended a small University-named she thought- Seireitei? Outside of Tokyo to achieve his dream of becoming a Doctor. A smile tugged at the corners of her mouth when she considered the resident 'doctor.' She was sure Byakuya would have gotten a kick out of the fox-faced man's behavior. She wondered what sort of bedside manner he had…too scary to even contemplate.

"Suwa city's so far," she murmured by way of making mild conversation.

"It's only…" Toshiro seemed to be mentally counting, "two hundred miles away."

They both looked at each other and then burst out laughing.

"Two hundred miles away?" Rukia managed to gasp out; she clutched her stomach as her ribs began to ache. Toshiro grinned and his turquoise eyes glinted mischievously, "well…maybe it's not that far," he admitted, "but still…I wish I could spend the rest of autumn here with _you_." Rukia didn't miss the slight emphasis on 'you'.

Secretly she was deeply flattered.

Outwardly she patted his arm, "surely you must jest! I mean…a boy with your looks must have at least half the school at his feet! I know my brother always did!" Toshiro, though, he still smiled and modestly denied her claims about his 'virility' she did notice a definite change in his expression.

Much like Ichigo's.

He seemed to close up a bit especially when she'd innocently asked if he had a 'girlfriend' back on campus. His answer had been… "There's no one in particular that strikes my fancy," he'd shrugged and rolled his shoulders a bit. Rukia couldn't help but notice the tone in his arms or the way the shirt fit him-not tightly-but flatteringly. Then she'd flushed delicately realizing just 'how' he kept his body up was none of _her_ business.

"Well I better be going," Toshiro said suddenly, quite apologetically Rukia thought. As he turned to the other door she made as if to follow him out; Dr. Gin was to drive him over to Karakura city where he'd catch another ride with a friend and go the rest of the way. But as she was approaching him she gave a sudden cry, "damn! Hold on! I forgot to reapply lip gloss!"

Toshiro raised two white eyebrows, "lip gloss?" he asked questioningly. Rukia ignored the incredulous look he was giving her and went back into the bathroom. On the narrow lip of the mirror her pink Maybelline tube sat, of 'amethyst wine.' Quickly she swiped it, uncapped it and gave her mouth a once over.

The pale almost sheer pinky purple gloss went on smoothly and she pouted twice to even the coverage out, "there!" Rukia said triumphantly to the mirror's image of Toshiro, "all…" she trailed off. The white-haired boy, she knew, stood directly behind her in the doorway…he should've been visible just over her left shoulder…but…

"What was it that you were saying?" he walked the few steps toward her and gently tilted her startled gaze away from the shiny glass surface. "The picture of loveliness," he muttered and scrutinized her carefully, "you really should wear purple more often." He let her go. "It matches your eyes."

In mere seconds, she blinked and then he was gone. Her bedroom door was swinging shut and his rapid footsteps were receding already. "H-h-how?" she whispered to the now empty room. How could he NOT have a reflection?!

What in the world was going on in this house?!

~~~~~~~~~Chapter 14: Sticks and stones~~~~~~~~~

Toshiro rubbed his chin, feeling the soft smoothness of it. One good thing about not aging-never having to shave. A flash of bright orange lurking in the doorway off to his left caught his eye, "Ichigo," he whispered, "I can see you." The orange moved and the boy to whom the hair belonged to stepped out of the shadows, "Nii-sama," he acknowledged with his usual perma-scowl.

Toshiro glanced back at Rukia's closed door and hissed, "shhh! She might hear you!"

The orange-haired boy eye rolled but did lower his tone, "so…you're sticking with the plan, I see."

"And what of it? I may be very close to our father but I can see his point of giving Ulquiorra the right to choose."

"You mean, choose his victim, right?"

Toshiro watched him slightly suspiciously, "what's it to you? Wait…forget I asked."

The door knob belong to Rukia's door began to turn, both boys noticed and as a last warning shot, Toshiro hissed, "_She_ belongs to Ulquiorra! Do not touch _her_! That's my final warning to you!" The white-haired boy disappeared down the stairs; Ichigo gave one last-almost-longing look at the door inching open slowly before he plunged himself into the corner becoming one with the shadows.

Watching over her was the least he could do; _she_ _wasn't_ his plaything.

And she had made it perfectly clear what she _thought_ of him.

'I despise you.'

Ichigo shook slightly; Rukia stood in the hallway only inches away. The few dusty cobwebs trembled with the jolt of emotion passing through him; she glanced at the disturbance and then shrugged.

Nothing was there but the shadows.

~~~~~~~~~To be continued~~~~~~~~~

A/N: third time I've rewritten this dang chapter! The first one had twelve combined and was almost three thousand words long-more was supposed to go with it. Second was chopped shorter and was over four thousand words long. This one is slightly over a thousand. Ciao until next time-oh and reviews are appreciated!


	14. Chapter 14 Verklarte Nacht

A/N: thank you very much! Enjoy.

"Late night?"

"Hmm?"

Ulquiorra didn't lift his eyes from the road.

"You seem tired…so I thought that maybe you hadn't been able to sleep-?"

Rukia was curious.

Since it happened to be Saturday, the week had passed by so fast, that the festival in Karakura city was that afternoon. In honor of it, Uncle Sosuke had bought her a pink Yukata in a purple butterfly pattern for the event. She had it on now as she sat in the plush leather passenger seat of Ulquiorra's green two-seater roadster. The color matched his eyes perfectly.

Not that she thought the color 'green' special or anything…

From the corner of her eye she saw him keep glancing at her surreptitiously.

Finally she couldn't stand it.

"What? Does the Yukata not fit or do I look horrible in it?" her tone was biting and not very polite.

It took him a while but he answered her slowly, "on the contrary. You look very…nice."

She somehow doubted that was the word he was going to originally use so she kept looking at him, waiting for the punch line. Sensing her disquiet, he added, "I mean it. You're really beautiful today."

Beautiful today?

'What? I don't look breath-taking 'every' day?' she thought it mentally except as if he heard the unspoken sarcasm—"no. You're always lovely but today more so," he glanced at her and they locked gazes, "your eyes sparkle and seem more lively then when at home…why?"

"Why what?" she sort of parroted back.

"Why do you seem so much lighter and happier then when we're at home?" Ulquiorra sounded genuinely curious.

"No reason," she shrugged, "it's just I remember going to a festival in Tokyo with my family years ago."

"Have you gone to many?"

Rukia traced an invisible line on the glass of her window, "no. Just that one. Back when my sister was still alive."

"Oh. I see," he knew better than to pursue the subject, instead of letting the silence get too heavy he turned the tiny dial of the radio. The song that started playing sounded familiar but Rukia couldn't figure out from where she had heard it. She just listened to it.

My only love sprung from my only hate

_Prodigious birth of love for how could I love such a loathed enemy…?_

_Step by step (__kimi to deatte toki wo wasurete/odoriakashita hoshi ni yadoru sadame wo shirazuni_)---~ English: (_I forgot the times we met by chance and danced 'til dawn. Without knowing the fate that dwells in the stars,)_

_/I can't stop falling in love/_

(_Fujitsu na tsuki no kaketa moraru ni terasareru no wa michiru/ desire/ sadame wo daita boku wa sakenda_)---~ English: (_Illuminating my full-on desire in the fading morals of the insincere moon/ You embraced fate/I cried) / 'Wherefore art thou Juliet?'/_

(_Oroka na koi da to azawarau ga ii sa/ Subete nagedashite imasugu ni iku kara_)---~ English: _("It's foolish love" they sneered/ but it's okay/ because I'll sacrifice everything and go right now…/_

_/Oh my Juliet/_

"It's a bit clichéd, don't you think?"

Ulquiorra after a second of hearing the lyrics, smiled faintly, "yeah. You're right. It is clichéd."

Though, he agreed.

She wasn't sure about what part of the song was 'clichéd.'

He switched stations and found something even—in Rukia's mind—worse.

It was 'My will' by dream.

(_Sotto mezameru/ Hakanai omoi zutto donna toki demo negau yo/ anata ni todoku you ni to…_)---~ English: (_Quietly awakening…I always, always wish that these fleeting thoughts would reach you)_

For no reason at all Rukia felt her face heat up.

Was today 'love-fest' at the radio stations or what?!

Quickly she thumbed the dial to something else; a nice guitar strum came on and then—

_/Baby I wanna be your girl/_

_/Baby all I need is you/_

More blushing this time.

Hopefully Ulquiorra didn't notice.

She tried another station.

(_Daisuki to/ Omou karane kizutsu ittari/ Tomodottari tsumetai/ ho ho wo yo seatte kokoro ga umeretta/ Itsumo ima sugu ni/ Aitai/_)---~ English: (_It's because I love you so much that I hurt you/ that I'm so confused/ Coming close to your cold cheek/ my soul was born/ I always want to see you right away/_

Rukia risked a peek at his face and saw amusement there.

Damn.

Stupid songs; love songs in particular.

(It's because I love you so much that I hurt you)—indeed

She sensed a long ride ahead.

………………………………Chapter 14

The harvest festival was in the center of the city at Sakuraboshi Park.

Crowds of people were milling about and the sun was shining warmly despite the slightly chilly breeze blowing.

Vendors lined the walkways and sold a variety of goods, from satin ribbons to silk scarves, cups of Natto and fresh Yakitori. Ulquiorra hadn't said that the rest of the family would be joining them and as she waited for him near the restroom, realization more like intuition hit.

He meant this outing, them alone together, as a date.

Rukia glanced around, a little nervously, maybe it was a good thing Ichigo hadn't seen them leave the house…because if her suspicions were correct—

"Rukia!"

She jumped a foot in the air—like usual.

……………………………..Chapter 14

Yoruichi chuckled and walked up, "jumpy like always." She wore a long orange colored kimono that had a falling leaves print and was tied by a wide gold obi. At her side was a familiar man. "Ah, this is Kisuke Urahara, he's been dying to meet you ever since I told him about you." The sandy blond-haired man switched his walking cane over to his other hand and proffered her his left, "it's nice that we've met face to face, Miss Kuchiki. Local gossip had you as being a freaky-faced invalid for all you've been seen in town. But now I see they're wrong. You are quite the beauty."

She shook his hand and smiled, "thank you for the compliment."

Yoruichi had been scanning the crowd but now she placed a slim hand on Rukia's shoulder, "come on there's something you've just got to see!"

Someway, somehow, she found herself being led in another direction away from restrooms and when she tried to explain about Ulquiorra, Yoruichi brushed her off.

"That boy can _more_ than take of himself."

…………………………….Chapter 14

Hours later, the sun began to set and Rukia tiredly sat down on one of the benches near the small Shinto shrine inside the Park.

"Exhausted?"

She glanced at Yoruichi who grinned a 'cat that ate the Canary' smile.

"Yeah, I'm tired. By the way…where did Mr. Urahara go off to? If you don't mind me asking?"

"Urgent business at the store," Yoruichi answered crisply, she leaned back into the shadows. Only her bright yellow-green eyes gave Rukia some idea where she sat. "Yoruichi," she began hesitantly.

"Yes?"

"Do…you…no. I'm sorry," Rukia rubbed her face and discovered wetness there…tears.

"What are you apologizing for?"

The Chinese paper lanterns were being lit one by one and their illuminating glow just hadn't quite reached them yet, for that Rukia was glad. "Nothing. Just forget I said anything."

Yoruichi stirred and abruptly her hand brushed the top of Rukia's head in a comforting gesture, "tell me…what's troubling you."

…………………………..Chapter 14

"I—I just wondered if maybe you thought that people who've died still watch over us…and…and if we're not truly…alone."

Yoruichi was quiet for several minutes then her fingers tightened in Rukia's hair, "what brought this on? Your Uncle isn't—"

"No!" Rukia denied the insinuation that Uncle Sosuke had brought this terrible sadness on her. If anything he'd been kindness in itself. If anything were wrong in the family it would be her. For thinking such insane—

"Just explain to me…and I'll listen," Yoruichi drew her closer.

Rukia took a deep breath, "coming here and seeing this—place and the people…it just reminds me so much of _them_," her voice broke on the last word. "Your brother and sister," Yoruichi supplied for her when she struggled. Rukia nodded, "Yeah…just one summer I remember…the three of us going to an Obon festival. Byakuya never was one for religion even if it was just burning incense and saying a prayer or two. But—"

"Your sister insisted upon it," Yoruichi said, smiling in the darkness as if recalling the same memory.

"Uh huh," Rukia eyed the other woman warily.

How did _she_ know about that?

And come to think of it…she never remembered telling Yoruichi she ever had a sister.

Something was definitely _odd_ about the woman.

However, Rukia decided it best to keep talking, Yoruichi was nice enough so maybe eventually she'd open up, "well…in the end we went. My sister and I both got a Yukata for the occasion…Byakuya complained all the way there that we spent too much time primping and that by the time we arrived there wouldn't be any parkings left. We just laughed…I used to laugh so much more back then," another wave of sadness hit and Yoruichi sensing it, gave her shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"What I remember most was the beautiful lights ceremony at the end of the night…the way the tiny boats gleamed on the water…we stood hand in hand on the riverbank…Hisana said that our parents were smiling down at us from Heaven. I was so sure of her words…they gave me so much comfort. That's why I want to believe that now my brother and sister have joined our parents and still keep watch over me. I—I miss them so much!" She gave in to the inevitable and cried for a good while in Yoruichi's arms. "There, there. It's okay…just let it out," she said soothingly rocking her.

It did make her feel better to have a kindly female to whom would lend a listening ear to her woes.

Never mind the feuding between the boys; she didn't even want to think of that.

But for the moment she could petted and coddled and have the missing part where her mother belonged filled if only temporarily by someone else.

………………………………….Chapter 14

After a while, Yoruichi released her with a soft sad smile so unlike her earlier Cheshire cat grins, "I must say I really don't know what happens to the souls of those we love." She stopped, taking note of Rukia's expression, "but," she held a finger up, "I would like to believe that they're around. Watching us, guiding us. Still supporting us with their love…so never think that you're really and truly alone, Rukia. Because," Yoruichi tapped her own chest lightly, "when you remember them and all the good times you had…doesn't it fill you with a warm feeling that nothing else can compare to? Sure it may hurt that they are no longer here but as long as you remember them then they can never die."

Rukia understood what she meant by those words or at least the tone they were spoken in—Yoruichi must've lost someone very close to her for her face to lose its usual lightness.

Maybe a child, she thought, Yoruichi was certainly old enough to have had one die early in life.

Could've been Mr. Urahara's.

The two had seemed like a couple when walking together.

She didn't think they were married, though.

Curiosity threatened to overtake her and she was dying to ask—probably impertinent questions when a man's voice called from further down the path, "Rukia?!"

Oh shit.

It was Ulquiorra.

She had forgotten all about him.

Damn.

Yoruichi leaned forward and glanced out, "ah, lover-boy's looking for you," her cat-grin was back in place.

Lover-boy?!

"He-he's just my cousin," Rukia stammered out quickly lest Yoruichi get the wrong idea.

"Yeah," she muttered, "I can see that."

She stood up suddenly, dusting her fancy kimono off, "be careful lest the impure deceive thee's pure heart."

A second later and she was gone.

Disappeared more like it.

Dang!

That was always happening to her; how on earth they did it she most definitely would have liked to know, especially when a steaming mad Ulquiorra stomped up, furious with her for pulling a 'disappearing act.'

"Where were you?!" he asked-more like spat out.

"I uh…" Rukia wasn't quite sure what to say or admit to that wouldn't have the boy before her become angrier. Oh boy was she ever in a pickle now…

~~~~~~~~~Chapter 14~~~~~~~~~

"I—I got lost!" she wailed loudly, "I—I thought I saw somebody I knew from Tokyo and tried going after them…but after a while everything looked the same…and I forgot what you were wearing!"

The crying act seemed to do the trick, he wasn't _as_ angry…really; a man who got distressed by a woman's tears was the best thing. Even the strangers who'd obviously volunteered to look for her—an orange-haired girl and her boyfriend a tall thin boy in glasses—her new classmates, were obviously sympathetic to her plight.

"I'm Orihime Inoue and this is my…" she giggled a bit, "boyfriend, Uryuu Ishida."

Ishida smiled just the tiniest bit and bowed slightly, "pleased to meet you, Ms. Kuchiki."

Rukia muttered something polite in return, though her eyes were drawn to a silver charm bracelet that he wore…a strange looking cross-dangled from it and Ulquiorra's reaction to it was even more interesting.

He shrank from the glimmer of light it cast.

…………………..…..…….Chapter 14

The ride back to Uncle Sosuke's house—she still couldn't really think of that place as home—was very uncomfortable. Ulquiorra had silently refused to turn the radio on so the unquiet between them grew and grew till she swore her ears were ringing-it was so quiet.

"I said I was sorry," she said by the means of starting a conversation.

Hueco Mundo was still several miles away.

"I know," he murmured; he really had a deep voice that she suspected could be soothing if he'd let it be, "I forgive you. But…that doesn't mean _I love you._"

Was it her imagination or did he just say '_that doesn't mean (I love you)?'_

Very strange.

Unnerving is more like it.

~~~~~~~~~Chapter 14~~~~~~~~~

At her bedroom door they parted; once again she tried apologizing for if anything the fact that they hadn't been able to spend time alone together. Ulquiorra merely grunted and stalked off to his room across the hall. Rukia stared for a moment after him, was it just her or did his annoyance stem from something other than being ditched at the festival-?

Sighing slightly she entered her room and began her preparations for the night. Once clad in a purple-could be considered a negligee-she parted the covers on the bed—an early Church service was the next day at least she thought so and that meant getting up early—when a heavy packaged lump fell out of her blankets and onto her bare feet.

"Yowch!!!"

………………………Chapter 14

"Stupid! Stupid!" she cried, hopping on one foot around the room.

The not-so-harmless package laid suspiciously book shaped on the floor beside the bed.

Rukia rubbed her foot and glared angrily at it, she was probably going to have a large bruise in the morning. Carefully she approached it as if it might bite and then snatched it up. The wrapping held no clue since it was heavy orange-? Construction paper secured by three pieces of clear tape. There wasn't any identifying tag anywhere so she wasn't sure as to _who_ had left it, though she had her suspicions.

Like a child tearing open a present, she shredded the paper neatly in half to discover a slim library bound edition of…_'Verklarte Nacht,'_ Rukia was sure Ulquiorra would know what it said. On the flyleaf inside it gave the translation—_Transfigured Night._ 'The true account of one Dr. Harvenheit and his research into those whom rest without ease…Dona eis requiem sempiternam.'

Latin and German all in one book, and Rukia's knowledge of either language was shaky to non-existent at best.

Except the main body of text seemed to be in English.

Luckily, Byakuya had been as much a stickler with her learning English as getting good grades.

So she could read it pretty easily.

……………………………Chapter 14

For a while she forgot about going to sleep and instead just lay flat on her stomach, feet in the air, book laid open in front of her. Old Doc Harvenheit had some very strange notions. One passage in particular caught her eye. '_The soul trapped in a state of unrest-what some may call purgatory-rises from the grave on certain nights during the Dark moon.' _There the alternate case-study word was given, '—new moon.'

'Devoid of all sentient and human thought, the undead being hungers only for the warmth of a living and breathing host. Recently bereaved family members are often the thing's targets. Once ensconced inside, the host's body undergoes a multitude of changes, skin grows pale, eyes become luminescent, teeth grow into sharp points. And the creature's speed is incredible…no weakness of daylight is noted during the cycle before the Dark moon. Many a time have I discerned a thing's true appearance from its lack of reflection in a looking glass.'

Rukia sat up and flipped through the book some more,_ 'a silver-sword is needed to kill the monster. Though, sacred arrows are also effective.'_

As she closed it and glanced at the cover, black with a slim sickle moon in the corner a thin piece of paper slipped out from the back. Hesitantly she picked it up and read the two lines scribbled in a slanted hurried hand-' _midnight, beneath the old pine in the bone yard, come alone. I'll confess everything.'_

Confess everything?

Rukia blinked and then glanced at the clock, its hands shown eleven thirty. She had thirty minutes to decide whether or not she trusted Ichigo enough to brave the cemetery behind Pastor Ukitake's church. Ichigo…she for some preternatural reason _knew_ that he had left this book and the note for her to find. But the thing is…do Vampires really exist as Verklarte Nacht suggested-? Did she _still_ believe they did? Her heart in her throat she looked down at her purple silk slip…if she was going to go she'd have to change into something a little less revealing-unwillingly she grinned. Ichigo probably wouldn't _mind_ seeing her dressed as she was.

Still though…did she really trust _him-?_

The answer was…yes…more so than anybody else. She couldn't explain it didn't know how to, but there was something about that lecherous Strawberry boy that she just found…strangely comforting.

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: I know it seems incomplete! Wails…so sorry! But it was over three thousand words long and I have things to do-very busy! So please be kind and I'll try to update as soon as possible! –After next chapter things won't be the same! Note: there really is a moon phase called-balsamic or Dark moon it's 10 to 14 days after the full moon-so my lore isn't quite right in the story, eh well I didn't know until the other day anyhow, ciao!


	15. Chapter 15 Our world

Choosing clothing for a midnight rendezvous isn't so bad as long as the weather holds up. Unfortunately, Rukia opened the window of her room and peered out, a chill wind was blowing. She shivered and once more cast a critical eye over her ensemble; black boot cut jeans, a two layer pink and gray shirt combined with lace up combat boots. The shirt seemed a bit thin for the seasonably cold air, but she was damned if she wasn't going to look her best, even if it was just Ichigo out there.

She knelt on the plush window seat and estimated the drop below. Two stories…but if she swung out, there was a tiny ledge directly underneath the window's edge and…she glanced to the left, a drainpipe that led straight to the ground. Perfect. Except she looked out again just how she was going to get back in was another problem. For later on. Rukia picked up Verklarte Nacht, her fingers tightened on the black cover…tonight…in less than twenty minutes she was going to find out the truth.

Steadily she climbed out, hanging onto the top of the window casing, once she risked a glance to the dark ground so far below and a spell of vertigo gripped her. Shutting her eyes, she held still to stifle the swaying motion of her body. When her breaths steadied, Rukia inched slowly to the green pipe only a few feet away. The sky, heavy with cloud cover, cast a dim shadow over her; the moon's light was veiled.

Her palms slick with nervous sweat wrapped around the pipe, for seconds as she carefully placed her weight on it, her foot swung over the open air. Uneasily her breath caught and the pipe joints creaked. Just what the six inch wide pipe supplied to the house she had no idea. Her canvas drawstring bag swayed with every little movement of her descent; mid-way her foot slipped against the wood siding. Desperately she scrabbled and scraped her fingers, the sudden jerking of her body made the pipe creak ominously.

Oh no…

A harsh metallic screech rent the air and suddenly she was flying to the ground. _Sister, brother…I'll see you soon _Rukia thought, assuming her death was imminent. She blacked out.

Her eyes opened when the first drop of rain splattered her forehead. Groggily she struggled to sit up in the confines of the ancient yew bushes planted sporadically in the garden. By sheer luck she'd been thrown onto one. Spiny brown branches clung to her clothes as she clambered off, farther away up at the back door of the house, the outside light winked on. Oh crap.

Rukia got down on her hands and knees, crawling hurriedly; she took refuge behind the Japanese cinnamon tree spreading its canopy in the corner of the yard. "Is there anything out there, Ulquiorra?" it was her Uncle speaking. The slim build of a young man sauntered toward the cinnamon tree, for a minute he stood before it and gazed upward. Rukia held her breath, the steady patter of the rain made it difficult to hear anything of his approach. Leaves crackled, a branch was shoved aside…and then.

Just one word, "go." Spoken soft and commandingly.

She didn't think for one minute that he wasn't addressing her for the next his tone had changed and his footsteps receded back to the house. "It was nothing. Just a feral cat." "Oh," her uncle replied. The door closed and the light went off plunging the garden into darkness once more. Rukia stayed stock still for a little while, the hood of the jacket she'd thought to slip on protected her somewhat from the chill rain falling. Carefully she peeked around the Cinnamon's great trunk, all the few lights on in the bedroom windows had been turned off. The resident household had gone to that sweet place known as dreamland.

It was time to move.

She stood up, hoisting the canvas bag higher onto her shoulder; resolutely she walked out to the side gate latched only by a simple hook-and-eye. Unhooking it, the gate swung open with minimum creaking, which became drowned out by the pouring rain. When it rained, obviously it poured. Rukia stepped onto the slick sidewalk keeping in mind her timeframe of so many minutes; her boots gripped the wet concrete and squelched unappealingly as she passed by the first four houses on the block. By the second, she'd gotten into a rhythm of regulating her breathing much the way she'd been taught by Dr. Shiba when ever she felt a panic attack coming on.

Without incident she crossed the Park, cutting through it to get to the other side. Not a soul was about and the drumbeat of the water falling only added to the melancholia coming over her. What if this was just a waste of time…what if all her fears and doubts were just that-fears and doubts-of things unknown and fictional. Vampires didn't exist, scientific reasoning proved that. The human body cannot live forever, never aging; never dying…only in a fantasy could that happen. So her general state as she entered the cemetery via the broken chained gate was this, vampires don't exist, there is no terror in the night, it was all just a myth.

She glanced about her; the weathered tombstones hulked in the moonless darkness, shadows danced at the edge of her vision. Water trickled down her cheek and she knew it wasn't raindrops. Where was he? She went deeper into the resting place of the dead, her hands clenching and unclenching at her side. "Ichi-" she started to say then stopped, he probably wouldn't be able to hear her whispering voice. She didn't dare speak any louder for fear of what lay at rest might awaken from its uneasy slumber.

"Ichigo!" she finally hissed. The top of her head was soaked and the chill began spreading throughout her body. If this was a joke then that Strawberry boy was going to—a tall thin shadow dropped from the pine tree's higher branches. Rukia sucked in the air to scream when suddenly a cold hand clamped down on her mouth. "Do you _really_ want to wake the dead?" she would've gasped in relief at the familiar voice if not for the fact of _his_ hand stifling the exclamation. "Now, midget," Ichigo began snidely, "will you start hollering once I—"

His answer came when she bit down on his fingers. With a curse he let her go. Really, she thought as she spun around to face him, did all their encounters have to start the same way? Tenderly, Ichigo cradled his hurt hand and glared at her, "what was that for? Someone tries to help you and you…you attack? What the hell, Rukia?!"

Help me? Since when did _he_ help me?

Matching his glare, she stamped her foot down…on the edge of a stone base. Wincing slightly she tried to recover her wounded pride and dismissive attitude, "well," she said haughtily, "you kiss me passionately one day. The next act as if it never happened then for the rest of the damned week I'm a leper, you're distant and bothered. Yesterday you're missing and today when I'm gone a mysterious _book_ wrapped in orange paper turns up buried in my blankets just waiting to be discovered by me. And what do I find?" she paced several steps away from him, "a secretive note slipped in between the pages of a whole load of crap!" By this time she was gesturing wildly, yet Ichigo was as still as a statue. Unmovable, unreadable as always…she spun on her heel, finger jabbing accusingly in his direction, "you know what—"

"What?"

His voice came from above, slowly she turned to stare up at his lanky form lounging against one of the branches casually he strode to the tip and leapt off gracefully. Rukia watched him uncomprehendingly as he landed with a light 'tmp' on the wet ground. "That's called Sonido," he explained with a shrug, "just one of the many things the Bacillus _gifts_ us with."

"Gifts…you?"

"You still don't get it do you?" Ichigo gave his hair a quick pat, despite the wetness and freezing temperatures, it still stood up in rebelling spikes, "guess I might as well show you _his_ side first then." She fought back the urge to scream…in the pale moonlight that became unveiled in the last seconds before he passed his hand over his face. What it showed gave some idea as to what most people call the face of a nightmare…a pure white mask with black and amber markings, yellow inhuman eyes stared at her seemingly hungrily… "I am what I am. That is…what the slayers call a Vampire or the term Seireitei uses a Hollow." Ichigo's voice came through the mask's confines slightly muffled. What he said made no sense…who were 'the slayers?' And Seireitei…the name struck a discordant bell in the dimness of her memory.

"Vampires have existed for centuries as have their destroyers, the slayers. What the book I gave you details is only the tip of the iceberg. Dr. Harvenheit's research and the knowledge he possessed came from the death confession of a Japanese slayer named, Shigekuni Yamamoto. Yamamoto belonged to the group whom called themselves 'Seireitei' or court of pure souls. They thought of themselves as saviors guarding the weak mortals from the dangers of the undead." Ichigo paused to catch his breath. They sat in-you guessed it-the pine tree at the very top; the moon had risen and reflected watery silver light upon the dark world.

Rukia peered down at the thin branch supporting her weight and regretted letting him have his way and taking her up into the bristly pine. "If it's like you say then why do you wear a mask and have that hole?" she cast an uneasy glance toward his buttoned shirt where beneath it laid a gaping circular void going straight through his body…right where his heart had once been. "Because," Ichigo said seemingly annoyed again, " duh. We're like Vampires." For his sarcasm he got a thwack to the head. "Idiot. I know that," she muttered, she rubbed her now sore knuckles, "explain to me WHY you wear them then."

Ichigo ran his fingers through his hair, a thing he was wont to do when agitated, "it's kind of hard to explain…" he trailed off and refused to meet her eyes. For a second she sensed that former vulnerability and tentatively reached her hand out to his shoulder. "To a midget," he finished; a smirk graced his rather sensual lips. Rukia's mouth opened and then she twitched. Midget? That bastard! She lunged forward to deliver her infamous kicking and punching attack the only thing she forgot about was here, there was no solid ground.

"Aaauuughhhh!"

"Why must you always do the most idiotic things?" Ichigo asked mainly to the sky. Sheepishly Rukia blinked and was glad for the darkness otherwise he'd have seen her blushing furiously. One hand slid across her behind and the blush returned. "Put me down!" she commanded with as much dignity as she could muster. Chuckling he slid her from being held bridal style to her feet. One thing was for sure…once she'd fallen out of the tree and been racing to the ground, a fast darting blur passed by her and she'd landed heavily into his arms…whatever the circumstances it seemed that he would save her.

Why though? Why would he go through all the trouble of protecting her when all she'd been was 'miss spoiled princess' to him and even said…she hated him. Uh oh. Apology time. "Ichigo…" she studied the nearly invisible ground, "I…I'm sorry," she mumbled. "What?" he didn't seem to understand. "You know," she went on, "for saying that I hated you and stuff. I'm really sorry."

"Say it again. I couldn't hear you," Ichigo pantomimed having an ear horn. Rukia smiled unwillingly, what an idiot, "I'm sorry I said those things to you before…can you forgive me?" He eyed her much like Dr. Gin did, "Rukia-dear, I can't seem to hear you very well. Old age, ya' know." She burst out laughing; his imitation of the creepy old Doctor was nearly perfect. "Hahaha, he would say that," she said to a grinning Ichigo.

Turning away, Rukia discreetly wiped tears out of her eyes. A slight sudden grip on her shoulder made her look up, Ichigo stood over her, bending slightly to be more at her level. "Ichi--?!" for the second time that night he'd silenced her, but this time it wasn't with his hand. Gently, almost teasingly he nipped at her lip, playing for entry. Thoughts that it wasn't right drifted hazily through her mind…but she ignored them. What was it-?

_When passion overcomes reason_…

Slowly she let him work her jaw open, her heart pounded as his tongue slipped in. Masterfully he took control, dominating her by roughly exploring the hidden crevices of her mouth. Unresisting she moaned into him, her fingers entwining around his neck…drawing him closer. As consequence he pressed harder, biting and once slipping out to focus on her face. "You wouldn't understand the torment I go through," he hoarsely whispered into her ear, she felt the cool wetness of his tongue graze her lobe, "knowing without the Bacillus…you would reject me."

No…she wanted to tell him. She didn't care whatever the bac-something was…this moment was something SHE wanted not was coerced to-well not too much anyway. She tried but the words just wouldn't come out; Ichigo seeing her weak state took advantage of it and crushed her Rhett Butler and Vivien Leigh style-in his arms but their height difference made up the rest.

It had been an absolutely romantic moment if not for the quiet voice that declared rather ominously, "By the honor of the Quincy, I shoot this arrow!"

WTF?

Ichigo heard the aforementioned arrow whizzing and shoved her away. Confused, she felt the hairs on the top of her head; stand up as an unidentified projectile flew over her. "Damn it!" Ichigo muttered angrily, he summoned his mask and leapt off toward the front of the Cemetery. Rukia flinched when she heard the crashing of undergrowth, unintelligible curses screamed in another language and then…by the light of the moon, the closest shrub to her parted and the familiar face of a bespectacled boy peered closely at her, "young lady, are you harmed? Don't be afraid…come with me," so saying this the rest of the tall boy emerged clad in a white suit with blue detail, in his long fingers a fine bowstring resided.

Ishida?!

Uryuu didn't seem to recognize her for he grabbed her arm and started hauling her away. She let herself be dragged a few steps but hesitated after realizing he meant to take her out of the Cemetery…and just where the hell was Ichigo? Rukia planted her feet down firmly and called him by name, "Uryuu Ishida isn't it? Don't you remember me from yesterday?"

He glanced back at the dark shadows and then took his glasses off and gave them a quick wipe, "Miss Kuchiki?"

"Yes. Mr. Ishida, it is miss Kuchiki," she answered annoyed.

"What are you doing here?!"

"I might ask you the same question."

An anguished howl disrupted their conversation; Rukia jumped and eyed the surrounding tombs hulking in darkness, "what'd you say we discuss this somewhere else?" she asked nervously. Ishida tightened his grip on the bowstring; the nearby limbs of the trees began to shake wildly, "I agree."

Rukia had no plans to go with the lamely dressed archer; in fact her main concern was for Ichigo and for the huge mass of shadows gathering at all exits of the cemetery. Maybe, she glanced speculatively at Uryuu, she could use him as bait while _she_ made her escape! Hmm…

"Miss Kuchiki, stay behind me," Uryuu drew an arrow seemingly out of nowhere; the pointed tip gleamed with a pure blue aura. Rukia did as he said and went behind him, the canvas bag lowered from her shoulders and ready to beat anything that came toward her. "So…what is this?" she asked quietly, "why is this happening to me?"

Uryuu paused in pushing his glasses back up his bony nose, "you're in the middle of a war, Miss Kuchiki. A war to end all life…what do you think happens after that _life_ is extinguished?" She pondered his words, _vampire_, _immortal_ _they are the undead…oh Gods,_ "the dead will walk the earth…" she whispered horrified.

A malformed shape staggered into sight, its grotesque features made Rukia think of some ancient evil described by Lovecraft. The lidless moon without its shy mantle illuminated that which was once hidden away, her breath caught, there was seemingly hundreds of them, all filling the gaps between monuments with their rasping guttural mutterings. "These are Darkling…a vampire's familiars. And unfortunately they're very near immortal--themselves!"

Uryuu swung his bow up and shot it with a cry. The Darkling fell back and hissed as the foremost one collapsed with the silver-blue arrow poking out of it chest. "Now it begins…" Uryuu muttered, with some foreboding in his tone. Rukia didn't understand what he meant that is until…a hush went over the collective and then a rousing shrill scream echoed and rebounded in the air. The Darkling reacted with cries of their own and rushed forward.

_This couldn't be happening_…_not to her_…_not to Rukia Kuchiki_.

She screamed when claws raked her skin, her bag she swung deftly, catching one of them in the face. A scream…then another…Uryuu batted away many with his bow, he chanced to glance her way just in time to see her attackers hiss in anger. They were being warded off…why?

"What do you have in there?" he called to her questioningly. Rukia heard him and looked down at her clenched fists holding the bag straps, a faint glow hovered above the canvas fabric. Verklarte Nacht? Was it the book that contained something that the creatures couldn't stand? It must be…Rukia ripped the bag open and pale white light poured out. For a second they were dazzled, she felt someone grab her suddenly, "let's go!" it was Uryuu.

Unsteadily, she ran, her feet pounded alongside his. Her fingers gripped the slim black cover of the book, her mind raced. _Vampires how could they exist? The Darkling…what were they…familiars as Uryuu said? And more importantly just what was Uryuu?_ "Who are you? Why do you hunt these things?" she asked. They were at the farthest corner away from the Darkling; the black wrought iron gates were lowest here. Uryuu blinked at her, "what's with the unexpected questions? Don't you get it? There are things that would just _love_ to eat you out there at this very moment and you're asking me why? Why!" he fumed, his hands slackened their grip from the metal post.

Rukia backed up; his sudden outburst had frightened her to the breaking point in a night so filled with terror. Uryuu seeing her visible unease took a deep inhalation of cool air. "I'm sorry, he apologized after a moment. "I just thought you knew everything." "How could I when no one tells me anything!" she retorted. "Well," he began hesitantly, "I am a Quincy by birth. We-our-group, have fought the undead for centuries using the _natural _born gifts given to us by God."

Was it just she or did he emphasize _natural_, right now?

"Our arrow-" he broke off, she turned and glimpsed black shapes forming and heading their way. "This is no time to be chatting! We have to get out of here!" he cried. Rukia couldn't have agreed more.

Minutes later, she found her feet flying toward the front of the cemetery. The church, she thought, the unholy beings couldn't possibly reach her in there. "Rukia!!! Come back!!" Uryuu yelled. She ignored him and scrambled up past the last steps, the book fell to the ground as she struggled to open the wide doors…her sweaty hands slipped on the cold metal…suddenly they swung open. The slim figure of a woman stood silhouetted by the candelabra she held in her long mocha fingers.

"Y-Yoruichi?!"

"Hello Rukia," the cat-like woman grinned and Rukia's eyes fell upon the other people assembled in the close quarters. A tall skinny boy with blond hair in a bowl cut, a short girl whom had pigtails and flashed Rukia a wicked smile. And a man…Mr. Urahara! They were all dressed in similar outfits, wide black pants and a black with a white under, kimono top. Metal glinted in the dark, "don't you worry, Miss Kuchiki," Urahara walked toward her, silent in his geta sandals, "the cavalry is here. Let's go, Shinji, Hiyori-chan!"

The boy and girl followed Urahara outside. Rukia blinked and shivered as the sound of metal clanging reached her ears. "Yes. We'll save you too, Quincy-kun." She heard Urahara say. Yoruichi was watching her, she had moved and now leaned against the pulpit, her yellow-green eyes glittered in the semidarkness, "well, Rukia…welcome to our world."

Rukia simply stared at her.

To be continued

A/N: ran out of time…anyhow please review!


	16. Chapter 16 Tokyo again

If it was their world…then she wanted no part of it. Rukia Kuchiki was just a normal girl not some last scion of an ancient and noble line destined to battle with the curse placed upon them against the creatures of the night. No! She had always been and always would be an average girl who stayed within her curfew—when she had one that is—who didn't believe she was _falling in love_ with her (cough) cousin. And most importantly off all…did not believe in Vampires who wore masks and still drank blood!

_Phew that was a lot of things to chew out_, Rukia thought. Her forehead was pressed against the cool glass of the train's window. Beside her on the left side reposed her large travel overnight bag and sitting open to the page Yoruichi had told her to read hours earlier, was Verklarte Nacht. The entire paragraph went into some detail about the illustrious _Kuchiku_ clan and their many exploits and paramours delving even into the realm of the dead to which their seed became cursed _to follow into the female line_…

_Kuchiku_…destroyer. What Yoruichi had been implying was that Dr. Harvenheit had oh so delicately hinted as to _who_ were these cursed denizens and why exactly now _they_ needed the blood. _The blood that ran through her veins even this second_…Rukia shivered and clutched her baby blue sweater even tighter around her shoulders. She had some money left over from her days of receiving an allowance from Byakuya…it wouldn't get her far. Tokyo maybe but from there she'd have to figure out whom to call. Aunt Retsu seemed the best bet, though she and her family were somewhere—Barcelona. And Spain was an awful long ways away to have them either come down to get her or possibly they could wire her some money to purchase a plane ticket.

Though Uncle Kenpachi might not be too happy to receive her and of course there'd be questions. Like _why did she just up and decide it wasn't working out in her Uncle's home after a little over half a month_? _And why hadn't he contacted them sooner_? Rukia sighed, the tricky part would be if Uncle Sosuke found out before auntie Retsu could get back to Japan. Then she would face…ick all the reproachful looks he and the boys would be giving her…She shook her head, there just had to be a way to get around all this and not hurt anybodies feelings.

So thinking this Rukia settled down into her seat, the sparse compartment she was in had nary a fly in it. Before long her head drooped down and she dreamed---Flashback

_A boy. That's what she saw first. He wore a light blue jacket and jeans; he had his back to her. Chirping came from above in the Japanese maple, he held his hand out and a small robin redbreast hopped down. Little Rukia watched with delight; how special he was! For no matter how many times she'd tried to get the birds to come to her they just wouldn't but he…_

_The boy flipped his thumb expertly around the bird's crimson neck and twisted it in a single cruel move. Lifeless the bird lay in his palm he studied it as though fascinated with the ease he'd extinguished life. Slowly he ripped its head off, one finger he raised to his lips slick in red blood. _

"_Rukia!"_

_Boot heels clattered up the sidewalk, a young woman wrapped in a knee-length woolen coat raced up. Her violet eyes flashed, "how many times do I have to tell you not to take off without first telling me where you're going?" Rukia looked up into the identical older face of her sister Hisana and tugged urgently at her coat, meaning to tell her about the boy's peculiar behavior._

"_Hisana?"_

_Both Kuchiki girls looked up._

_The boy had spoken; his voice was low and very masculine placing his age above that which Rukia had originally thought. Hisana disentangled herself from Rukia and took a few steps forward, "what're you doing here? I thought you were going up north to visit family?"_

_Hisana's smile was hesitant and slightly shy, Rukia felt an inexplicable rush of anger fill her tiny frame. Here was the 'friend' her sister had often talked about—the one whom had just started working at the same bookstore as she…His face had been in shadow but now he turned around returning her smile. His green eyes were gentle and she couldn't have believed him capable of…"Oh Shi…! Surely you jest!" Hisana's voice was fading in and out. That face she had to see him clearly…it was…he was_…!

~~~End of flashback~~~

"Shinjuku!"

Rukia shot upright in her seat. The ticket taker glanced over at her, "Miss, we've arrived in Shinjuku," he said, sliding the compartment door shut before she could say anything. She rubbed her face tiredly and then rolled the tan blinds up to stare at the early morning crowds filling the train station. That dream…she hadn't had it in such a long time. _The blood he'd hastily wiped on the side of his pants, the hands he kept holding the bird carcass behind his back…Hisana hadn't seen any of it_. Rukia did. _And his face_…oh Gods…

She hurriedly gathered up her bag and stuffed the book inside it; her pink wristlet swung back and forth. Her skin was chilled, her mind ill at ease…Dr. Shiba. Yes! That's whom she'd call! Surely he'd consent to having a few words with one of his old patients.

~~~Chapter 16~~~

The telephone operator refused to connect the call; Rukia replaced the handset back on its cradle muttering thanks to the clerk at the customer service desk. She glanced around, most of the people who'd been standing at the platforms or purchasing tickets had drifted away to their own respective destinations. And she was without one. His address…she moved away from the desk and dug through her bag hurriedly, eventually she found an old scrap of a torn address from a magazine: (987 Shibuya suite 6.)

Hopefully this was still it.

Asking the time from a man crossing the street with her, Rukia found it to be 11:25, nearly the exact time when Dr. Shiba used to take a break for lunch. She put on an extra burst of speed and ran down the block past shops just opening their doors, to milling crowds waiting outside small eateries.

As she rounded the next corner, a large brick building came into sight and at its steps a broad-shouldered man dressed in a blue striped business suit walked down to the curb, jiggling his keys and whistling. "Dr. Shiba!" Rukia yelled, her feet pounded the sidewalk; the man turned upon hearing his name being called. For one second when their eyes met she wasn't so sure he still recognized her and then suddenly he smiled brightly, "Rukia? Rukia Kuchiki?"

She felt her own lips twitch in response to his beaming smile, "yes… I know long no see! But I was wondering if you could perhaps lend me a bit of your time…you see there's this problem I have that I thought you might be able to help me with…"

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: :( I was terribly bored and only had this part ready so I'm sorry if it is a bit shorter than I usually like…um well please review?


	17. Chapter 17 Curse fulfilled

Dark Moon Chapter17: Curse fulfilled

"So…this woman—?"

"Yoruichi."

"Yoruichi, then. Drove you all the way here? Or what?" Dr. Shiba crossed his legs; blue socks peeked out from beneath his neatly pressed slacks. Rukia couldn't resist studying him closely; his resemblance to Ichigo was absolutely uncanny. Time and differences in age hadn't diminished what her mind had first perceived as so.

The slant of the eyes sans the color, the shape of the face, cut of the hair…except for how he spoke and the blue eyes and black hair, Rukia would have thought them related. At least father and son if not…her eye roved to the desk and a frame turned upside down. Her hand reached for it automatically, instantly recalling session after session from years before and never remembering the picture being there.

Her breath caught, making Dr. Shiba look up from the cigar he was lighting. "Oh that," he responded to her searching glance, "That was my wife's family, her aunt Masaki and her son…damn now what was his name-?" he shook his head, "it's been some while before I've thought of them. I only recently put that out. Hm? Rukia?"

A smiling woman, her brown hair falling over her shoulders and a little boy, his grin wide. The picture was old, she guessed from the sepia quality of it, "Ichigo," she whispered. Dr. Shiba heard and raised an eyebrow in surprise, "yeah. That was his name. Ichigo Kurosaki. He disappeared one day while walking home with Masaki after school. They found her body on the bank of an open canal…it was assumed he had fallen in and drowned. But—"

"No body was ever found," Rukia finished, her eyes closed and she clutched the photo frame to her chest. _She knew now. Why Ichigo was the way he was…but Uncle Aizen. He wouldn't_—"His family. I mean the Kurosaki family, are they still…are any of them still living?"

Dr. Shiba took a long pull on the cigar, inhaling deeply before answering, "I don't understand why you're asking but…yes," he leveled his gaze on her, "little Ichigo's father is still among the living. He's much aged now of course. It's been a lot of years but yeah he's alive. He had two daughters, born right after the other…I don't rightly know what happened since Miyako's death I haven't had much contact with them but I do know a year or two back both girls disappeared from a University campus. It was a big mystery and all," he shrugged then seeing her fallen woe-begotten face, tutted imperiously.

"Here I am depressing you with all this ancient history! Now tell me what you're real problem is," he stubbed out the cigar in an onyx ashtray and made the motions indicating her to lie back on the tan chaise. Rukia lifted her feet obediently, her hands clutched the frame; _she wanted to keep it but just wasn't sure how to ask for it_.

~~~*~~~

Dr. Shiba reclined in his chair, swiveling slightly, his expression pensive. Rukia's eyes threatened to close with her lack of sleep from the harried night before. The good Doctor leaned forward to his desk suddenly and picked up the book salvaged from the overnight bag. "Verklarte Nacht," he read the title, a frown creasing his forehead.

Rukia's head lolled as she turned to glance at him, albeit covertly.

Seeing him there was like seeing Ichigo, or possibly the antithesis of him. Dr. Shiba flipped the pages of the book, stopping here and there, his frown growing more pronounced each time. One particular passage, she recognized the part, showed a woodcut of a monster newly risen. Baying beneath the invisible light of the _Dark moon_. Another that the Doctor stopped at was of a woman of the _Kuchiku _clan bathing in the nude under the life-giving rays of the _Void moon_.

_If the Dark moon gave power to the Vampires than their cursed enemies, nobles of the four great houses must have an empowering source also. Hence the Void moon, the literal opposite of the Dark. The full of the void and the emptiness of the new_…

"This is interesting stuff."

She heard him mutter before she finally dropped off again.

~~~*~~~Flashback

The smells of cooking reached her nostrils and the unpleasant sound of her guardians, her only brother and sister arguing.

"_Where were you today?" Byakuya's smooth baritone rumbled. Being a junior in high-school most of his time was spent studying. A clack of a spoon hitting the side of a metal pot and her sister's voice, soft but just the teeniest bit agitated replied, "I told you. At Mr. Urahara's shop, working."_

_A sigh and the floorboards shifting, "you're lying. Urahara called over here asking if you'd be available tomorrow, he wanted me to relay the message to you since you weren't in."_

_Silence filled the kitchen and Rukia stopped her absent-minded scribbling, from her position on the floor in the living room, another more exasperated sigh was heard. "You're not my watchdog, Byakuya. So what if I wasn't where I said I'd be? Rukia was fine waiting a little longer for you to pick her up." _

"_That's just the point, Hisana." Byakuya said, a mild note of anger in his tone. "She's been waiting for the past month a little later every time!" _

_Rukia had perked up at her name being mentioned, then slumped forward, her tiny hands balling into fists. The happy white rabbit looked up at her sympathetically from the sheet of paper; her masterpiece. For a while she had nursed the notion of presenting it to Hisana as a gift but changed her mind when the next words were spoken and the ire in which they were rebuked. Maybe some other time…_

"_It's because of 'him' isn't it?"_

_A spoon clattered to the floor. In her head, Rukia could imagine the look of pure anger radiating from her sister's petite form, "leave him out of this! He has nothing to do with it!" _

"_Nothing?" and Byakuya sounded slightly mocking._

_Rukia got up then, her feet encased by socks soundless on the braided rug. Her sister's voice broke off abruptly when the front door opened and closed with a resounding boom. _

"_I care for h—"_

~~~*~~~

Rukia shot up gasping.

"Oh, she's awake. Poor thing's been sleeping for three hours now," Dr. Shiba explained to the man walking in his office. Coffee brown hair mildly tousled, glasses slipping below his eyes and the worried look creasing his handsome face. Uncle Aizen.

"I'm glad you came when you did," Dr. Shiba continued, oblivious to the look of horror and betrayal crossing Rukia's expression. "Rukia here was planning on having her aunt fly down here from Spain…but after hearing her story I don't think that's necessary."

She scrambled upright, her hand tugging the wooden picture frame behind her back, Uncle Aizen had his eyes on her, watching her every move. A slight shadow in the doorway and a flash of green told her that Ulquiorra had come also.

"What do you _think_ is _necessary_, doctor?" Aizen asked, knowing to not try to get any closer. Dr. Shiba frowned, "hmm. Counseling had done wonders for her before…but you might think of restricting her access to friends. Maybe," he held up Verklarte Nacht and she squirmed realizing the unavoidable _truth_ of what was coming.

"A cult, I'd say. Pure and simple," he declared as if it were the easiest thing to diagnose in the whole world. She saw Aizen glance at the book, his eyes narrowed just a fraction and her heart fell. He knew exactly who had given it to her…and he wouldn't go easy on _him_.

But then how to escape…?

She dejectedly sat up, reaching down for her boots, her head bowed. A reddish mark was cut into her skin and tingled faintly when she brushed her palm, where she'd held onto the picture of _Ichigo and his mother_. '_Murderer_,' a voice seemingly whispered in her mind, she glanced at Uncle Aizen to find him, smiling as he flipped through her book.

Something clicked into place at that moment.

"Give me that," she snapped rudely, standing before him, her hand outstretched. "Rukia!" Dr. Shiba said surprised at the vehemence in which she was speaking to her guardian. Her Uncle merely dropped the book into her fingers, shrugging.

"I'll be waiting in the car," she said, moving past them to the door. When Ulquiorra locked gazes with her, his green eyes curious, she finally smiled, "hello, Ulquiorra. Sorry to have made you come all this way." He recognized her manner and immediately dropped the hand he'd placed on her shoulder to guide her out.

'_Just what are you planning_?' his eyes seemed to ask.

She answered with her own, hoping he could forgive her for what she was about to do, '_I may not believe in all this just yet…but I will find a way to set you all free_.' As if he heard her thoughts, he smiled almost imperceptibly as they went out into the hallway.

~~~*~~~

Her heels squeaked. Skidding as she came to an abrupt halt. The elevator screen above displayed a number, 1, then 2, and finally the floor where she was at, 3. The doors opened smoothly and out stepped Ichigo, resplendent in gray cargo pants, a silver chain swung like a belt from his hip, his shirt had the design of a guitar and angel wings visible beneath the khaki button front jacket.

Precisely the last person she wanted to see.

Crap.

She ducked around two conversing women, her eyes set on the side door leading to the stairway exit. She fumbled with the knob, switching her grip on the picture and Verklarte Nacht to her other arm; her wristlet hung from this one, after Ulquiorra had restored it to her before she sucker-punched him in the gut and kicked him in a very painful place.

Not that he had complained one bit.

He had let her escape.

Now Ichigo on the other hand wouldn't. As proved by him sonido-ing right behind her once she was in the stairwell. "Face it, you're trapped." He said, looking down at her from the higher stair. She barely even registered his voice or the chills it brought, "you're the one who's _trapped_."

He was gone in a flash, reappearing four steps down from the next landing, "_oh really_? How am I _trapped_?" he scoffed. She hesitated on the steps, meeting his shadowed gaze with a defiant look of her own, "because of what you are. And who did it you. Your mother—"

She flinched when he slammed his fist into the wall, chunks of plaster crumbled down from the goodly sized hole he'd made. "Don't—talk—about—my—mother—as–if you knew—her!" his face was a mask of rage. Rukia glanced quickly at the window, rather on the small side but set deep inside the wall, the panes were probably thick too…

"Masaki wasn't it? Wasn't that her name, Ichigo? Or do you not remember?"

He took a deep shuddering breath before speaking, "I remember."

Rukia looked at him fully for what seemed to be the last time, "then I pity you!" she rushed him suddenly, shoving him hard down the remaining short flight before it broke into another section. He stumbled backward, falling as she'd hoped. His colorful curses told her all she needed to know; that he'd be just fine. Then she turned her attention to the window.

She hefted Verklarte Nacht chest high, steeling herself for impact. And swung hard. Her fingers collided with enough force to make her bones jolt and her teeth grind. Again. And again…and again until she heard the most beautiful sound to her weary ears, the sound of glass cracking, minuscule at first but then spreading outward in tiny glistening fractures.

She finally lifted it up for one last blow and this time, threw her weight into it. Ichigo had already recovered from whatever damage he'd sustained with her attack so he had a full view of her pitching herself out the window.

"Rukia!!!"

~~~*~~~

Dr. Shiba glanced up mildly disconcerted from the large binder on cases of vampiric cults, "I say, did you hear something?" He moved toward the window, Aizen at his heels. His blue eyes scanned the empty horizon before finally looking below…and catching a glimpse of a girl wearing a yellow summer dress and a blue sweater tumble out of a lower-story window.

"What the hell! Rukia!"

~~~*~~~

She thought she heard different men's voices calling out to her, screaming defiance. Suicide wasn't really a part of her plan but hey it got the job done. As she plummeted that is, to the concrete below her thoughts weren't confused or frightened. She knew exactly what she was doing even if it cost her life.

So imagine her severe surprise as slowly she began to descend, her feet sliding out into position, her yellow skirt flaring out slightly as air currents rushed past her. Instead of going 'splat' she touched down lightly quite similarly in fact the way Ichigo did when using Sonido.

She glanced up, catching the movement of several figures at various windows. Dr. Shiba in the topmost one with her Uncle. His expression bled shock, her Uncle's calm understanding. Ulquiorra who smiled back at her when she looked at him was framed in the second window to the left. The last one she hesitated with. Ichigo.

He shook his head, mouthing something but she wasn't sure what…

~~~*~~~

Rukia scooped up Verklarte Nacht by its spine, once again this weird book had saved her and she had a _certain_ person to thank for giving it to her. She skirted the corner heading out into the main street, mingling in the masses of people going home or elsewhere for the five o'clock hour. _Five o'clock, hmm_, she thought back on the dream she'd had while sleeping in Dr.—that knave's office.

What did it mean?

What exactly was she trying to remember?

_Urahara_. That's right; Byakuya had mentioned the name of the owner of the bookshop where Hisana had worked. _Urahara_…_Kisuke Urahara_. _Could it be a coincidence_? She wondered. She felt eyes upon her and glanced up to find a boy in a green polo shirt and black pants looking down at her bemused. Ulquiorra.

"You need to hide yourself better," he teased. Panicked she stood on tiptoe, her eyes scanning the crowd…a head of spiky orange hair to the left…flattened teal to the right. Dammit. They were going to box her in! Ulquiorra grabbed her wrist calmly, noting her confusion, "through the alley go straight to the end and go left. Call somebody," his words were abrupt but as she backed away, he raised a ghostly pale finger to his lips, sealing them with a key.

He wouldn't tell.

So she did have an ally of sorts and one she'd never have expected.

~~~*~~~

Rukia went down the alleyway, which happened to be rather long and narrow but thank the Gods she didn't run into any vagrants. As she reached the end and cautiously peeked out onto the adjoining street her eyes went to the little red phone booth in the corner.

A phone booth!

So that was what he'd meant when he'd said, 'call somebody.'

She ran to it, snapping the latch on her wristlet open, counting out the exact change needed to make one call. Which she made and listened nervously as it rang three times before a girl's even voice, lacking in rowdy enthusiasm answered, "Kotetsu residence."

Rukia inhaled sharply; how good it felt to hear her friend's voice, "Kiyone? It's me, Rukia."

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: suspenseful, no? I'd had this entire chapter in my head for a long time; Rosemary's baby in fact influenced Dr. Shiba's betrayal :) anyhow please review, asks humbly.


	18. Chapter 18 Dancing in darkness

_On the darkest night before the last star sets, and silver light spills. Gather the pure rays of a moonstone mirror and then shall ye be set free_…

_From Verklarte Nacht, passage 105_

Chapter.18: Dancing in darkness

"RUKIA! Oh my Gods is it really you?!?"

She lowered the mouthpiece of the phone a little, glancing around surreptitiously, "yeah. Could you keep it down a little?"

"Sure—"

Static interrupted Kiyone's condescending tone, Rukia frowned, her fingers tightening around the black cradle, "Ki—"

"On the darkest night before the last star sets, and silver light spills. Gather the pure rays of a moonstone mirror and then shall ye be set free," said a familiar voice on the other end of the line, "that's the way to break the curse awakened within you, Ms. Kuchiki."

"Mr. Urahara!? How—?" her voice nearly cracking. A cold chill ran down her spine as he'd spoken. "It doesn't matter _how_, Ms. Kuchiki. But listen to me and listen well…there are certain things you must know about and some I suspect are coming back to you. We," he sighed heavily and then continued on much more subdued, "we never meant for anything to happen to your sister. I—"

"What about Hisana?" she asked sharply.

"—Sorry. But if you want to be set free…then you must help us! Defeat them; regain your mortal life. For her…please!" he took a breath in noisily and she imagined him to be standing in his shop, an unusual darkening of his features in place. A click sounded in the receiver and Kiyone's voice came back, "Rukia? Are you still there?"

"Yeah," she answered, her eyes stinging; tears she felt leaking out in the corners.

"Okay, where are you? We're coming to get you…and oh yeah you'd better have an excellent explanation for this!"

"You'd never believe me if I told you the truth," Rukia whispered as the line went dead.

~~~Dancing in darkness~~~

The Kotetsu home was in one of the newer subdivisions of Yokohama. Rukia looked out the back seat's window with unnecessary trepidation filling her gut. Mrs. Kotetsu was a cheerful homemaker and whom her daughters—Kiyone at least—had inherited her bubbly if not gracious attitude. Isane turned into their cement-lined driveway, the bright green painted front door already swinging open to let out a tall rather thickset woman, with bouncy blond locks.

"Rukia-dear! How nice of you to come stay with us!" Mrs. Kotetsu crushed her into her ample bosom as soon as she had stepped out of the car. "Thank you for having me," Rukia said quietly when she'd been able to get a word in edge-wise over the excited babble going on between mother and daughters. "Oh you're welcome, dear! The guest bedroom isn't ready yet—" Mrs. Kotetsu began.

"Oh! She can stay with me!" Kiyone interrupted eagerly, glancing from her mother to her friend. Isane twiddled the car keys, scuffing her tennis shoes together. Rukia shot a look out into the afternoon warmth lighting up the quiet street, _how long until they found her_?

"That's a great idea!' she spoke up with forced enthusiasm. "Yeah! So it's settled then," Kiyone seconded with a beaming smile to her family. Mrs. Kotetsu smiled in return bringing a brief pang to Rukia's heart. _Family_. _They weren't her family_.

~~~Dancing in darkness~~~

In Kiyone's room, standing amid the colorful walls plastered with pictures of teenage heartthrobs and answered quizzes; Rukia felt the teeniest bit normal again. She dropped her old clothes to the floor, tugging on the black short-sleeved dress her friend had lent her. Her eyes wandered over to the window, looking out into the fenced backyard. A group of shovels leaned against the plastic tuff-shed that contained their gardening equipment.

Her palms tingled and she glanced at the smooth unbroken skin over her hands and wrists. When she had thrown her self from that window in the stairwell, a jagged piece of glass hanging loosely from the frame had sliced her as she'd gone past it. But as she studied it now, no blood or any indication whatsoever of a cut being there existed.

Bacillus.

It gifts us with incredible speed.

She heard Ichigo's voice explaining to her back on that night which in reality had been only two days ago but seemed like a million years from the past. Rukia traced her finger down along the fine creamy skin and felt the veins pulse beneath her touch; did that mean she was a Vampire? _The curse awakened within you_, Mr. Urahara had said cryptically.

His vague allusions and the statements presented in Verklarte Nacht all suggested one thing: Nobles of the four houses, royalty or as near royalty in terms of their refined bloodlines had been cursed in the female line to bear daughters with the inherent characteristics of the Nobles immortal foe, the Vampires. Vampires of which could not walk in the day as these Noble hybrids did but something had happened. There was more than one type of Vampire and these as Seireitei called them, _Hollows_, could walk in the daytime, in the sunlight, have amazing speed, incredible strength and…what had been the bane of their ancestors long ago.

A lust for blood…

_Was she going to go the same way_? Rukia lifted the slim black book, briefly running her finger over the tiny sickle moon in the corner and randomly flipped it open to passage 105. _They say there is not a chance, nor hope of coming back once the curse has been affected_. _But, I have found it! The cure to the curse of the void moon; it took quite a bit of trial to discover this. They guard this secret very carefully…a single month is all one whom is cursed has before the final twilight is upon them_: _On the darkest night before the last star sets, and silver light spills. Gather the pure rays of a moonstone mirror and then shall ye be set free_…

She read the passage then read it again to affirm what she'd just seen. Those words…Mr. Urahara had said the same thing hours before. So…was that it? She had only a month before she became—what? A full Vampire? She looked down at her open palm, was the Bacillus what made her heal so fast? Only one way to find out…

Kiyone always kept a pocketknife in the bottom of her dresser drawer, a gift from an overprotective old ex boyfriend. Rukia looked for it now, tossing out folded blouses and skirts to reach the pinewood board. An imitation scrimshaw handle about three inches long depicting wolves running in a field of snow caught her eye. She drew it out, flicking the side as her friend had showed her how. A tiny blade no bigger than an inch and a half winked wickedly under the overhead light.

Rukia inhaled sharply, bringing it in one single slashing motion across her bare left wrist. An angry red line appeared, crimson seeped out, fascinated she watched it slowly start a downward spiral, and only the faintest of twinges accompanied her bleeding wrist. Something happened then, inside she felt it; a certain knot unloosening and deliberately she brought her arm up sideways to her mouth, licking the coppery blood away.

When her senses came back a moment later, she spat. Disgusted with herself and the saliva tinged red that she wiped away from her mouth. She turned her wrist over…the cut was gone! Healed no doubt by the formerly inert Bacillus running through her veins. She heard Mrs. Kotetsu yelling to the girls about dinner and Rukia got up, remembering just before she left the room to replace the clothing back in the drawer and hide Verklarte Nacht under inside the Daybed's trundle. The pocketknife she stashed in the wide pocket of her borrowed dress, just for safety's sake, she told herself.

~~~Dancing in darkness~~~

"Come my waayyy," Kiyone sang out as Rukia entered their shared room. Her toiletries were done for the night and she was newly attired in a pink cap-sleeved gown with lace inserts above the bodice. "What're you listening to?" she asked, lowering her self onto the cotton sheets and squishy mattress of the trundle bed. Her friend popped out her round white ear buds, set the song back to the beginning and handed it over.

Rukia took it with some hesitance as Kiyone danced out of the room to resume her warbling in the bathroom. She placed the buds in her ears and recrossed her legs as a familiar tune started. When she'd heard it then she was reminded of a Club song, the kind men and women bumped and grinded their bodies to, her eyes closed as the Popstar sang:

(Moshi ima kanashimi)---~ English: (If you are filled with sadness)

_(Afureru nara, watashi ni motarete…naite ii kara__)---~ English: (you can lean on me)_

_I get, I get, I get, get the feeling_

_I get, I get, I get, get the dreaming_

_(__Tada kono mama__)---~ English: (Just like the way it was)_

_Come my way_

_(__Kono yami no hotari__)---~ English: (Alone in this darkness)_

_Come close to me_

_(__Ima akari tomoshi__)---~ English: (Now I'll shine some light)_

_I'll be with you; I'll be with you_

_(__Tada koko ni iru kara__)---~ English: (I'll stay beside you)_

_So come my way._

The middle of the song was interrupted as a huge crash outside rattled the windowpanes behind her. Rukia turned, her eyes widening, her hand sliding down for the pocketknife under the pillow. _They were here. They had found her_. How she knew, she wasn't sure but a frisson of fear slithered down her spine as far off she caught the sound of Mrs. Kotetsu's good natured muttering as the door stuck. Rukia got up, keeping the tiny knife tight in her fist, her legs moving fast out of the bedroom, Kiyone, she passed in the hallway. The blonde's usually carefree expression gone, replaced by worry and…fear.

"What's going—?"

"No time!" Rukia barked, "Holy water! That vial your mom keeps, bring it to me! And stay—" she caught a glimpse of Isane, her two braids draped over her face, a glass of milk spilled on the floor near her hand, lying on the living room floor. "--Inside," the last part came out a near whisper.

She saw Kiyone's face one last time before she rounded the corner and plunged straight into the kitchen and open backdoor, disbelief was what she read. Mrs. Kotetsu crumpled down to lay sprawled on the steps, Ulquiorra stepped back, his charcoal lips whispering, "sleep." Rukia stared aghast at him and Ichigo who was standing hands in his pockets near the tuff-shed, his expression unreadable.

"You—Bastard!" she flicked open the knife and ran down the steps, nearly tripping once but feeling her feet make contact with the cold grass. She slammed into him, knocking them both back, his hands caught her wrists, squeezing until she felt her eyes water, his amber eyes taunting. Ulquiorra leaned back against the siding of the house, yawning boredly. Good. It was only one on one.

Her body was suddenly catapulted backward; his knee had embedded itself in her gut. Her back hit the shovels; her vision faded in and out, her mouth open, gasping for air. One of the shovels, unbalanced by her ungraceful fall, had clattered to the ground near her outstretched hand. The ivory white of the scrimshaw pocketknife flicked in the air as Ichigo tossed it carelessly over his shoulder "be a good girl, now. And come along quietly. You're only good to us for—"

He cut off as she swung the curved metal bottom at him. He caught it, his eyebrows rose, "face it. You. Can't. Hurt. Me." His clenched fist swung out, making contact with halfway with the wooden handle. A cracking sound rent the air as Rukia found herself with the shattered end of the top, her eyes traveled over the jagged end and suddenly she knew what to do with it.

She braced her palms and her back against the wall of the tuff-shed, rising up; Ichigo started toward her and she met him, hard in the chest with the broken handle, burying it deep in the right side. He exclaimed something, she wasn't sure what, didn't really want to know as tears filled her eyes for not the first time that day. Applying pressure, she pushed it deeper, twisting and shoving until they had reversed positions and he was backing up against the tuff-shed and she was pinning him there.

"Ulqui—orra!"

The green-eyed Vampire looked up from his inspection of his black-tipped nails, his expression only mildly curious. "A—little—help—here?!" Ichigo clarified, glaring angrily at him. Footsteps skidded on the kitchen linoleum, Kiyone appeared suddenly in the doorway, out of breath and panting slightly, in her hand was clutched a tiny glass vial of clear liquid.

"Rukia—I got—Mom! Oh—my—There's a guy with a shovel—"

"KIYONE!! Throw it!"

"Huh? Oh…" the blond raised her arm back and threw it as hard as she could. For a second everyone present doubted the vial would make it then with an explosion of glass it hit the edge of the shed, spattering Ichigo and to some extent Rukia.

She blinked, feeling tiny drops strike her cheek, the effect on him was instantaneous however. He screamed, piercingly, achingly, throbbing her eardrums with the sheer force of his inhuman anguish. Ulquiorra sonido-ed up to them, his face blank, his arm wrapping around his brother and then when she blinked…they were gone.

Kiyone was yelling, her eyes wide with terror. Rukia glanced up toward the house, her violet orbs remembering something, another time another place. It was as if a film had started playing behind her eyes, her body turning to go out the side gate. Kiyone noticed and started gesturing wildly, but she didn't hear. Didn't see anything but the darkened street she let herself onto, her feet pounding the pavement as she began to run. Their house, their parents' house was only…

She ran down the block, up another, to the corner and back up to the next. Her hip aching from where she'd struck it on the gardening shed, her body slowing down as she approached a familiar lot. Empty now but as her mind supplied her with images of it as it was before…

She saw it as once was. The house Hisana had raised her in and the place where she had been so cruelly slain. A figure stood in the shadows at the back, Rukia entered through the rusted gate, her eyes on _him_ all the time. He stirred at her movements; he looked up, his turquoise green eyes sorrowful. A shaft of the faintest moonlight imaginable fell across his face.

Toshiro.

She wasn't even aware that she'd said his name aloud, but he faced her then. Looking around she realized him to be in the exact spot where Hisana's body had lain. She stiffened, as another figure came to stand by Toshiro. Uncle Aizen.

The scene was familiar but why?

Pain as if she'd been struck assaulted her senses and with it, images began flashing through her mind…

~~~To be continued in Chapter.19 Traumend~~~

A/N: Was it a cliffie? Grins sorry but anyway please review!


	19. Chapter 19 Traumend

Chapter.19: Traumend

"You killed her."

Rhetorical they both knew, but a question he chose to answer anyway.

"Yes." He smiled, a happy smile that once she thought full of kindness but now made her skin crawl. "Why? For Gods sakes…Why!?" her voice ended on a high shrill note. Shattering the moonlit silence, her Uncle looked at her, shaking his head, "it's a pity you remembered. I'd have preferred you to forget that night. For wasn't it better to die without knowing the truth?"

"No," she whispered.

~~~*~~~

_Things had come to a head in the Kuchiki household. Byakuya was spending less and less time at home, his grades didn't falter yet Hisana worried for him, as he was growing exceedingly distant. Was it really because of her friendship with 'Shiro? She stirred the miso, pausing to glance at the clock hanging above the sink. Half past four and he wasn't home. _

_Probably at Hirako's house. Hisana set the spoon down on the side and went into the hall to call up his friend. Rukia's small head peered out of her bedroom door, seeing her sister, she came out, joining her at the telephone._

"_Hello? Is Byakuya there? This is his sister Hisana, I was just wondering—oh no—I'm sorry. So he'll be home in an hour? Okay…thanks. Bye." She hung up, cradling the receiver against her shoulder; she looked down into Rukia's upturned face, childish worry there. "He'll be home soon," Hisana said comfortingly, her thin lips curving into a smile. She made as if to pat the top of Rukia's head but the little girl backed away, frowning, her fears of her family falling apart not allayed. _

"_Sister…do you love us?" she asked in a little tremor._

_Hisana placed the receiver back on its hook, "of course I do! Silly! I love you!" She took a few steps toward Rukia, her arms held out. "More then…your friend?" Rukia insisted. Hisana froze, her expression loosing its warmth, before she could answer, a piercing whistle sounded. _

"_Oh! The soup!" she turned around and left, left without giving her answer. Rukia heard the sounds of her sister banging pots and pans, finishing their meal. Their last meal, it felt like. Her feet in their pink sneakers moved then, through the living room plastered with Chappy drawings and out the door. She hopped down the steps, making for the side gate, her small hands flicking the hook and eye latch open. Disregarding her brother's strict rule to never leave it open._

_To hide there, beneath the metal table, slats covered half the bottom and plants in clay pots with their vines trailing effectively hid her from sight. Unless one was looking…_

_Night was falling; she hugged her knees, rocking back and forth. Sooner then she'd expected, her sister's voice came, calling for her. When no answer came, the back door opened and Hisana stepped out, her pale violet eyes wandering about the sizable yard, "Rukia!" she yelled._

_Rukia stayed still beneath the cover of potted Trumpet vines, tiny yellow flowers hung near her and she parted one side of the curtain to glimpse her sister leave the porch. Boots passed by close and jean clad legs whirled around at the man's voice. Whoever it was, was at the side gate. Pushing it all the way open for Rukia recognized the distinct grating of the metal hinges._

"_This is the Kuchiki residence, I presume?" the man asked pleasantly._

_Hisana was facing him, her side to Rukia. Once she flicked a covert glance to the plants and the little girl knew her hiding place to have been found out. "Who are you?" Hisana queried, not giving a definite answer to his question. Footsteps, pacing closer, "you are Hisana Kuchiki? Where is your younger sister, Rukia? I would much like to meet her." _

_Hisana stiffened, her breath catching, "is this about…'Shiro?"_

"_Yes and well…no. You see…Or perhaps you don't see, Hisana." _

_It happened in mere seconds. One minute she was alive, guarding with a protective stance before the plants and the man several feet away. Then in a flash, one broad, blunt-fingered hand had slipped against Hisana's thin neck and the next…she was crumpling down._

_Her head twisted at an odd angle._

_Rukia's first sense was to scream, her heart thudding so loudly she thought the man could hear it. Her tiny hands balled up against her legs, open violet eyes, the light gone from them were only a foot away, looking through the crack between the plants. Liquid seeped down her cheeks and she assumed rain then realized the dark sky outside clear, tears they were. And fast they fell, rolling down her face, tippling off her chin._

_The man bent down over Hisana, his jaws opening wide, his hands wrapping tightly in her hair, exposing her neck. Twisted so that a tiny bone peeked through and still warm blood trickled out. Rows of teeth glinted in the light, fangs, she realized with the aching mind-numbing realization of a nightmare come true. A vampire. _

_Before she could scream another voice interrupted, this time familiar._

"_Hisana? Silly me, I forgot to give you—Good Gods!" A tall sandy blond-haired man stood at the open gate, a walking cane in hand. He withdrew something from the cane for it rasped metallically, "you killed her!" It was an accusation not a question nor did Urahara stop as he cried out sharply, "Wake up, Benihime!" A flash of red illuminated the yard and he charged at the brown-haired man, a short sword of nearly Katana length in his grasp. _

_The air whistled as it was cut, the man evaded these slashes and darted off to the far corner of the yard. "What'll you do now? There's only one full-blooded Kuchiki of worth to you now. The boy is useless." The man spat the words out venomously._

_Urahara shook his head once, "then so be it. We will protect her…and know this. You will be destroyed!" A red mist punctuated the air following his declaration and the other…a Vampire, she realized, vanished. Rukia crawled out, her hands reaching for her sister's inert body, "Mr. Urahara…please?" Tears choked her throat and bile rose. The bookstore owner dropped down sadly beside her, "I'm sorry, Rukia. I really am…more so for having to do this." He pulled something from his green haori, a plastic candy dispenser it seemed like. _

_He pulled the trigger back before her eyes and a light flashed. His last words she heard dimly before she lost consciousness. "This is for your safety. Listen to your brother…he can protect you more then we can at the moment."_

~~~*~~~

"How could you…" her hands shook, tears blurred her sight. Aizen stood impassive beside Toshiro. Him. Hisana's friend. The person she'd come to love more than her own family. He caused her death. Glaring through her tears, Rukia longed to kill him, burning anger, hot and boiling filled her chest like acid. Everything was true then. Everything Byakuya had denied was true. She felt faint.

Urahara had expected her to remember, Yoruichi had also. And it was true…little by little fragments came together. Memories became dreams, life turned bitter. Was it because she knew? Deep inside the truth. The truth. Her fingers splayed out at her side, before them, strength seemed to flow in from a well inside. Cool air danced at her fingertips, tightening, they wrapped around something translucent but with a firm hardness to it.

"Sode no Shirayuki, heirloom blade of the Kuchiki house," Aizen said, his eyes on the sword taking shape in Rukia's hands. He smiled narrowly; taking a hold of Toshiro's shoulder, at the same time she lifted the white blade up. A white ribbon curling around her wrist, a moonlit sheen glimmered from the icy surface. _With this blade_…she thought,

She met Toshiro's turquoise green eyes, and she knew him sorry. It didn't matter that she hadn't ever held a sword or anything resembling one in her life, she swung, running as ice careened off the blade's edge. Aizen disappeared as he had that night, now with Toshiro and a mocking laugh.

Rukia panted, lowering Shirayuki. The clickity clack of Geta sandals clattered on the sidewalk behind her. She didn't turn around to see the hooded eyes and signature walking stick that contained his sword. "Teach me. One month you said? Teach me in that time to wield this sword…and I will help you destroy them." She said forcefully.

Urahara nodded, "come along then, Ms. Kuchiki. You have a buddy too." Kiyone peered out from behind his back, "Rukia…just what the heck did you get yourself into?"

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: done faster than I'd thought…anyway please review!


	20. Chapter 20 Derniere raison

Dark Moon Chapter.20: Derniere raison: Last reason.

"Your brother…he knew about us. Aizen may have believed him nothing because the curse lies in the female line. But he—after Hisana's murder—came to us. Asking us for help in getting revenge." Urahara walked quickly up the darkened streets, glancing back every so often to urge them to keep up. Kiyone nervously eyed the long shadows and fearfully whimpered whenever a breeze rattled the long limbs of the nearby trees, Rukia wasn't as ill at ease. Her steps were sure, the laced edge of the pink gown flapping against her bare legs, she picked up pace and fell in next to Urahara.

"So…Byakuya knew? He knew I wasn't making it up that whole time?" Her voice grew quiet at the end of the sentence. The vampire slayer nodded, tipping his green striped hat back a little to cast a glance up at the night sky above, "oh he knew alright. He knew Aizen would be after you once you matured a few years. He knew that if he didn't do something he'd lose his only baby sister. He protected you until the day he died…Ichimaru killed him."

Rukia came to an abrupt halt, "but he—"

"Didn't get sick and die the way it looked. A wound from a shape-shifter—even a superficial one at that—can still be fatal. I'm sorry, Rukia, for not telling you. But we couldn't risk you losing it—not when so much was riding on this. Besides that if everything goes as planned…we can still save you, the way Byakuya would've wanted." He looked at her then, a little sadly but Rukia could see the sincerity behind his words.

Kiyone came up, trotting fast, "hey what about—"

"Don't worry. Your mother and sister are being resuscitated as we speak. Some of my men—well people will be watching over them. Hiyori's there," Urahara winked and Rukia remembered the impish blond girl and wicked grins she had sent her way that night in Hueco Mundo. "Yeah but—" Kiyone persisted, Rukia turned to her, "they'll be fine, Kiyone. I'm sure of it."

"Well if you're sure…"

"I know it. But…where are _we_ going?" Rukia looked curiously up to Urahara. The perverted salesman winked again and grinned, "my old shop. Ye old bookshop and the training ground below it. Come on girls…there's more than Vampires out on a night like this."

~~~*~~~

"Damn bitch!" Ichigo swore as his scalded skin peeled off in dried grayish flakes. Ulquiorra turned back on the next treetop, his expression vaguely amused, "it's your fault for underestimating her and her friends." Ichigo sucked his fangs, rolling his eyes, "yeah well…maybe if _somebody_ had helped…this wouldn't have happened!"

Green eyes rolled at this imprecation, "I thought I made my stance clear, _brother_."

"Yeah like what? You won't capture her but—" a pale hand clamped down on his mouth. Ulquiorra glared, unmercifully slamming the other to the ground far below. He straddled the younger boy beneath him, hissing in angry tones, "I haven't a care for what you think or what anybody else thinks." Ichigo's mouth moved furiously under Ulquiorra's palm, "but. _Leave her alone_."

He drove his fist into the orange-haired boy's gut, repeatedly. Until he gave a muffled gasp and his eyelids fluttered closed over his luminous amber eyes. Ulquiorra let go and stood up, dusting his hands off; h_e wanted to see what she could do. If she was stronger than the rest, that was all…_

~~~*~~~

The bookstore was as she now remembered it. Small and cramped with tall dark oak shelves lining the walls and three half-size in the middle serving as aisles. Sheets covered in years of dust and age cloaked the books and Urahara went over to the nearest one by the wide back counter. He tugged the sheet down exposing rows of leather-bound books, puffs of dust billowed into the air and Kiyone sneezed loudly.

"Gesundheit." Urahara said; his fingers roved over the firm spines, "there are some things I'd like you to read up on while we're here. You too, Ms. Kiyone," he selected three tomes, each of varying size and tossed them hard across the room. Surprised, her friend caught them, disbelief in her voice as she read the titles aloud, "Kido: way of destruction. Lifelines and moon phases: how the cycles of la Luna affect our daily lives. A history of the four Noble houses and generational backgrounds of their descendants. What the heck is all this?"

Rukia put her hand up as a second later, three other missiles in the shape of books, two hardcover and the third _a journal_? Thudded against her palm. The hardcovers were thin and rather smallish compared to others she'd seen, the journal—or what she suspected was one—was bound in faded paisley fabric. _This was…_

"Hisana's." Urahara said, watching her reaction, "Byakuya left it with me the day before he died. Said to give it to you when you were ready to face the truth, if his demise came to be. I've had it for three months unsure of when to present it to you. _Of course he had it longer_…" in the deepening darkness of the shop, Urahara slumped a little. Weighed down maybe by those whom had lost their lives…_those whom he had failed_.

~~~*~~~

The paisley print of the worn fabric was as familiar to her as the calm baritone voice of her brother, intoning of things she could not forget to do as he laid in the hospital bed, his raven hair lank on the crisp pillow, his gray eyes sunken, their light faded. _Had he known he was going to die? Had he known what lay in store for her in the event of his passing? Or had auntie Retsu assured her nephew as he lay dying that his sister would always have a home_? Frustrated that she didn't know, Rukia threw herself down into the cotton pillow, the bed bouncing a bit from her sudden weight shift.

The water ran in the sink in the bathroom located just outside their room. Seireitei kept these places as hideouts the way the Shoten in Hueco Mundo was just a front for their activities. The living quarters were stocked, electricity ran and sewer service was connected. The kitchen larder as she'd checked when they were given the grand tour was full of canned viands. So they were as he said cheerfully, _ready for a full month's training without letting up. Well nearly a full month_, Rukia corrected herself. Thirty days, since one had passed already.

Sode no Shirayuki lay on the foot of the bed near her outstretched feet. Sheathed and tied by the white ribbon, _the heirloom blade of the Kuchiki house_. _What had been Byakuya's sword? Had he fought with one_? "Hey—earth to Rukia!" Kiyone waved a hand over her friend's glazed eyes. Rukia blinked, feeling the bed shift as Kiyone inched off.

"I'm sorry—did you say something?"

"No. I'm just a talking puppet that entertains—"

"Cut it out," Rukia muttered dully, shoving the other girl with her foot to which it was immediately caught and held captive, being tickled by expert fingers. Kiyone was quiet for moment then thoughtfully, she asked, "Do you think mom'll buy that story of us rushing off to visit a sick aunt of yours? I'm mean that's pretty far-fetched…"

"With Urahara, anything's possible." Rukia said flatly, she wasn't in the mood for this cheerful banal conversation. Her mind just couldn't wrap around _what he'd said…"When your one month is up and the next Dark moon rises in the sky—your time is up, Rukia." Steely he'd looked in her eyes, never flinching from the confusion he saw in there. "What do you mean?" she'd asked a little hesitantly. _

"I mean you will become one of them. A Vampire. Either you master yourself and the power the bacillus has given you or you succumb to it and become something else entirely. That is your decision. Your Derniere raison, your last reason."

"_I know what that means!" She'd snapped, recognizing the French words_. But now, in this simple room with its two brass bed stands and neatly folded sheets with familiar symbols such as the Quincy's cross hanging above the door and vials of Holy water in the drawer, she felt a chill that had nothing to do with her changed attire of a simple white Yukata. Everything was real. Everything stemmed from one man…her Uncle and him being the instrument of her sister's demise. _Please God_, Rukia clasped her hands suddenly as she remembered seeing Christians pray, _have pity on my sister's soul_!

For as she thought back and recalled a certain passage that she had hitherto missed on her earlier perusals of Verklarte Nacht, _a Darkling was the trapped near immortal spirit of one of the Vampire's victims_.

~~~To be continued~~~

A/N: apologies. Nothing much happened :P sorry…ahem. Well less than six chapters to go now :) the pace will pick up—I promise in the next chappie—until then, please review?


	21. Chapter 21 Night on the town

**Dark Moon CH. 21: Night on the town**

"**Let's see…_Viva la Vida_…nah. _Be your girl_…hmm…nope. Hey, Rukia, help me out over…here-?" Kiyone looked up from the song selection in the Karaoke bar. A frown creased her forehead, "don't tell me you're still moping! Mr. Urahara was kind enough to give us a day of rest after you've been training so hard!" She gently chided, getting up from the violet sofa in the lounge and going over to where her silent friend stood, staring out the small window. **

"**You've worked just as hard…Kiyone," Rukia admonished, breaking away from whatever morose thoughts that had mired her mind. _Three weeks_. Three weeks of training until she had doubled over, coughing up blood, until Urahara had relented. Sheathing his sword, the red aura vanishing just as Sode no Shirayuki's did seconds before.**

_**Not strong enough.**_

_**She wasn't.**_

**_She knew that_.**

**She had every right to wish Aizen and his hellish brood dead. **

_**Sister…**_

**_Brother_…**

**Clenching and unclenching her fists at her sides, she remembered the man's kindly smile, bitter bile rose in her throat.**

_**Once he'd been her Uncle.**_

**_That much was sure_.**

**Before the last travel book on Romania, he was as he appeared. Gentle, loving, a bachelor whom was looking to start a family late in life, _had he known the horrors that the creature that possessed him in some dark corner from that place would do_? Destroy his sister's family until a single girl, all that was needed to relinquish the darkness holding sway over him and offspring, might live.**

**_It wasn't fair_.**

**Rukia bit her lip.**

**_He was still-no matter what had assumed his identity-her flesh and blood_.**

**_And then there was_…**

"—**Hey! Are you listening to me?!" **

**Startled, Rukia jolted a little, an apologetic smile curving her mouth, "sorry. Just thinking." Kiyone looked unconvinced, "you were staring something fierce out that window—at first I thought maybe you'd seen some _thing_."**

**Hearing the deliberate separation of the word. She had to sigh and shake her head, "no. I didn't see any of _them_."**

"**Mr. Urahara said we might. After all, Ms. Yoruichi in Hueco Mundo reported no change. The house was still unoccupied which probably means—"**

"**They're still in Tokyo."**

"**Yeah."**

**Kiyone looked downcast, her usual bubbly cheerfulness that everyone found so infectious was gone, replaced by weary heavy heartedness. The conclusion to centuries long war was riding solely on their participation, if they allowed failure, the world would fall. Seireitei knew Aizen was planning something that would start the night of Karakura High's winter ball. _In less than eight days_. **

"**Can we do this?" her friend whispered, staring out into the falling night. Rukia opened her mouth to speak then closed it several times; unsure of what words of comfort she could speak when she herself was at a loss. _How could she be forced to kill the body of her Uncle_?**

_**Ichigo?**_

**Her eyes closed and her lids trembled, _it was just too much_.**

**With some effort, she turned away resolutely from the view of the city, taking Kiyone's arm; she led her back to the Karaoke song selection. "Let's forget about it for a while." Rukia managed to add a shaky smile to her words, "I bet they have _Broken Wings_."**

**Kiyone grinned, "me first!" she joyfully cried.**

**~~~*~~~**

**_Damn Ulquiorra_, Ichigo thought. The last rays of sun were departing and he stalked forward on the building across the street from the Karaoke lounge. The black-haired boy had left for Hueco Mundo without waiting for orders. Rubbing his stomach sourly, he scowled. The wound may have been undetectable but the memory was still there. **

_**Damn him, he'd pay for it.**_

**A small face appeared at the mid-level window, discernible only to his far sight. _It was Rukia_. _So she was out from under Urahara's thumb_, Ichigo crouched down. _The bacillus must be getting thicker in her blood. He'd been able to smell her from over five miles away_. He frowned; _Seireitei was probably planning on having her fight as a hybrid for on that night. They'd be cutting it close to the true hour of her awakening. Were they really that desperate_?**

**_To come close to her becoming a vampire and losing her human self all for the smallest hope of crushing them? What fools they were_…**

**Ichigo leapt down to the street. Passersby missed his decent and as such allowing him to blend in easily among the crowd. He had no problem strolling to the street corner and Sonido-ing to the wide double doors of the lounge. Tossing carelessly a wad of cash to the bored looking girl sitting behind the counter in the main lobby, he gained access to the door and hallway where the small cubicles were. **

**Notes of music and a few human voices warbling came from behind several closed doors. The girl-Kiyone, he saw exit one of the rooms toward the end of the hall, brushing past him, she barely muttered a distracted _sorry_ before disappearing out into the lobby. **

**What luck.**

**He'd have time with Rukia _alone_.**

**~~~*~~~**

_/Kikou wa nori no warui/~English translation: (I'm not so fundamentally enthusiastic)_

_/Watashi ga sanka suru/~English translation: (Even I will participate in this)_

**Rukia didn't raise her head as the door to their private lounge opened, expecting Kiyone, she asked over the din of the song, "back so soon? Did you get the drinks, Kiyone?"**

/Kare mo kuru no/~English translation: (Everyone is excited)

/Myaku ga ima wa nakutomo/~English translation: (He's coming too)

**Ichigo silently stepped behind her, leaning forward, he whispered, "I'm not Kiyone."**

_/Zettai ikimasu tomo/~English translation: (I may have no chance with him now, but I'm definitely going)_

**Startled, she twisted around, "I-Ichigo?" On the next breath, she began to reach mentally for her sword. **

_(Sugoi sugoi pookaa faisu dato shitara. Aru yo nante/ English translation: (If you've got a good pokerface, then there will be something/ _

**She was sure he couldn't feel the summoning, but…**

/…Koo-to no kisetsu nanoni konchigai shiteru/~English translation: (Even though it's coat season, he is completely misunderstanding)

"**Don't do that!" he said sharply. Dumbly she held still while he neatly hopped over the back and promptly sat down on the empty cushion beside her. **

/Doushite nano? /~English translation: (What's going on?)

"**Why are you here?!" she rounded on him, her eyes flashing angrily. Ichigo threw his hands up in the air innocently, "shall I lie? Even if I told you the truth, midget—" her fists clenched. "You wouldn't _believe_ me."**

_/Konna ureshikute/~English translation: (Being this happy)_

"**Try me," Rukia said haughtily.**

_/Chigiresouna hodo waratte iru noni/~English translation: (I'm laughing so hard I might burst)_

"**I missed you," he shrugged.**

/Kare mo senaka mite wa mune tsumaru/~English translation: (I get choked up when I see his back)

**Her breath caught hard in her throat; _was he lying_? **

/Taenai egao no utsu no naka de/~English translation: (In the whirlpool of an endless smile)

**A slight smile curved his mouth, "what? Don't believe me, midget? I knew you wouldn't. Guess I'll just have to show you again." With that, he leaned over and captured her lips in a rough kiss.**

**~~~*~~~**

**Two immediate impulses presented themselves to her in the space of the first seconds when she was still in control. Slam her fist into his stomach or better yet—_in a more vulnerable area_. Or simply let it happen. She chose neither. Once he realized she wouldn't attack, he lessened the desperate hold he had maintained on her. **

"**Sorry," he commented when able, sounding not at all repentant, "it's been _too long_." **

_/Step by step kimi to deatte toki wasurete odoriakashita/~English translation: (Step by step, I forgot the times we met by chance and danced until dawn)_

**The next track had begun to play, hearing the opening lines, he grinned slowly; "this seems to be our song. Wouldn't you agree, Rukia?"**

_/Hoshi ni yadoru sadame wo shirazuni-I can't stop falling in love/~English translation: (Without knowing the fate that dwells in the stars-I can't stop falling in love)_

"**Speak for yourself." She muttered, disconcerted to find her thoughts lingering in almost the same place as his. **

_/Fujitsu na tsuki no kaketa moraru ni tersareru no wa michiru desire/~English translation: (Illuminating complete desire in the fading morals of the insincere moon)_

"**I am. That is, speaking for myself." He said gravely.**

_/Sadame wo daita boku wa sakenda-wherefore art thou Juliet? /~English translation: (You embraced fate, I cried 'wherefore art thou Juliet?')_

**He seemed serious enough so that she glanced quickly at his face. "If that were true…then could it be that…you're in love with me?"**

_/Oroka na koi da to azawarau ga ii saa subete nagedeshite imasugu ni iku kara-Oh my Juliet/~English translation: ("It's foolish love," they sneered but it's okay, because I'll sacrifice everything and go right now-Oh my Juliet)_

"**Do you really want to know?"**

"**Yes."**

"**No. You don't. Because then you'll question everything that's happened up until now. Maybe," he Sonido-ed to the door, "you shouldn't have to ask that question. You should know my answer by now."**

"**What do you—" **

**Kiyone opened the door at that moment; Rukia saw him smile briefly back at her then disappear in a swift blur past her friend. "Did something happen?" Kiyone asked, glancing out into the hall behind her. Rukia shook her head, "nothing. Other than I've been a fool not to see it." **

"**Huh?"**

**~~~*~~~**

_**You're my enemy.**_

_**I was born to defeat you.**_

_**I hate you as I hate the one who created you.**_

_**I will avenge them and not let anyone else suffer what I have.**_

**_But_…her thoughts were in a blur, faces of people angered as she ran past them along the crowded sidewalk staring at her like she was crazy. She ignored their vicious yells, her mind only dwelling on the place he would go to, somewhere to be alone…the Cemetery.**

**~~~*~~~**

"**There you are," he was up high on the branch of a pine tree.**

"**And here you are," she said quietly, her hand tight on the scabbard behind her back. Ichigo glanced down at her, smiling faintly, he leapt off with fluid grace landing on his feet silently in front of her. "So…" he teased, his eyes passing over her body once, then to her stiffly held arms, "you've decided to do it?"**

**Rukia knew the time of acting on pretence was over; _they were enemies_. "If I kill you now, then that's one less I'll have to do later." **

"**Ah. Smart girl. Lessen the enemy's ranks by sweet kisses and then strike them down, did Urahara teach you that? Is that all you ever do is pretend?" he sounded angry, he walked a few steps, his back to her. **

"**Wha-what do you mean?" she was genuinely confused. **

**Ichigo spun lightly around to face her, the midnight black blade tainted with a faint red ochre at his side. "You pretend and pretend—or is it…that I'm really fooling myself?"**

"**What are you talking about?! Just—"**

"**Tell you? Because you're so ignorant?" **

**Their swords clashed, the repulse shaking her wrists. **

**_He was strong. Much stronger than she was_…**

"**If you want to know so badly then_ tell me._" Desperation had seeped into his voice; her gaze went up to his face, startled by the pain flitting nakedly through his inhumanly beautiful amber eyes. **

"**Do you love me?"**

"**N—" she realized it was a lie as the weight of understanding bore down on her. Ichigo as the little boy in the photograph; Ichigo through all his coldness and care in her Uncle's house and then in Tokyo in Dr. Shiba's office. Her grip of her sword became slack, the blade slowly tilting down.**

"**N-No. I…"**

But I…

**She felt the tip of Shirayuki's gleaming white tang rise, surprise and horror reflected in her eyes as she realized what he wanted her to do.**

"**Finish telling me, midget."**

**She hated how he ordered her around. "I l-l-love you," her voice was barely above a whisper but he heard anyway. "Good," she saw his smile under the weak moonlight; his fingers grew taut on her sword, plunging it in suddenly through his chest.**

…**_I love you. Don't. I don't want to kill you_. **

"**I'd prefer you…_freeing_ me…Rukia."**

**Her hand twitched, involuntarily opening and releasing the hilt. He slumped down, impaled on her sword; blood began pooling at her feet. Her ears heard the sound of running, breathless gasps of Kisuke and Kiyone, both reaching the gate she had vaulted over twenty minutes before.**

"**Rukia! Oh my Gods—that's—"**

"**Ms. Kuchiki…you?"**

**She couldn't stand their questions, her sight filled with the image of his still body; his black sword lay where it had been let go of. "I didn't—I didn't mean to—I didn't—" her knees gave out suddenly, her body crashing heavily down beside him, "—want this!!!"**

**~~~To be continued~~~**

**AN: no. He's not dead. :) Thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated. **


	22. Chapter 22 Sayonara, Ichigo

Dark Moon CH.22: Sayonara

"Save him…please! I know you can!" shrilly her voice broke at the end of the sentence. Kisuke flinched, folding his arms loosely, "do you know what it is that you are asking of me?" She stared up at him like he was insane, "he'll die—" a soft, nearly inaudible groan stopped her, "Ichigo?" Rukia felt a bit of hope seep into her despair. Her hand rose slowly to the length of blade sticking out from his back, maybe if she could…

"Don't touch that. Leave him be, Ms. Kuchiki."

Her breath caught, her eyes lifted to Kisuke's shadowed face, a hint of remorse evident in the way he grasped the short hilt of his cane, ready to draw out the hidden blade. "Mr. Urahara! What're you doing?! We need to help—" Kiyone backed away at the sweep of his hand in warning.

"Ms. Kiyone, I'm going to have to ask you not to interfere, the same goes for you, Ms. Kuchiki. Long have we fought these creatures, desiring nothing but their end as they have ours. We rejoice when one falls and mourn when one of our own perishes in battle." He looked at her steadily, "I've seen my friends die at his as well as the others' hands. Can you rightfully say that he deserves to be saved?"

Her headshake was faint, "but I can't—"

"I'm sorry it has to be so…step aside, Ms. Kuchiki," there was a soft hiss as his sword slid from its scabbard. Beneath the light of the moon, Rukia saw the red gleam of Benihime, she lunged to the side and then up again, crossing Ichigo's black blade against the other. Kiyone screamed as the swords clashed. Rukia parried his strike, pushing him back a few steps.

"Ah I see you have improved. That's good. I expected no less from a Kuchiki," Kisuke commented, watching her stand up, her hands tight in an upright grip on the sword's hilt. "Though I do wish you'd not insist on this pointless—" he cut off, his wrists flexing, blocking her charge, "—fight."

Rukia leapt back, glaring at him angrily through the darkness, "is that what you call this? _A pointless battle_?" Kisuke stared at her for a long moment, his stance changing, " make no mistake. I really don't want to do this. But it seems you leave me no choice…Scream, Benihime!"

A wave of crimson flowed from the edge of his sword as he slashed the air sideways. Rukia recognized the attack, as one she'd been unable to counter even with Sode no Shirayuki's ice. Wielding Ichigo's sword left her with few options but to hope to deflect it somehow…or dodge it.

She felt the change in the air, the shuddering pulse of his energy building up like static against her skin. It came at her fast, almost too fast as she threw herself to the side, leaping back adroitly even as another wave came close to Ichigo's body. _His target was him_, she realized with a sudden burst of clarity, _not her_. The slayer's brow furrowed as he calculatingly avoided her next strike.

_Focus on me_.

She thrust to the left, feinting a clumsy opening, Kisuke followed, aiming for a blow to the stomach. Rukia recovered within seconds, her fist knocked against the tang, sending its path awry, she dropped down, swiping his ankles out from under him.

_Good. _

He slammed down hard, nearly catching himself by pushing up by his sword hand.

_Almost there._

In the space of a few seconds, his grip had slackened on Benihime's hilt; she kicked aside the red sword, thrusting up the curved edge of the black blade near his throat as a warning. "This fight…is over," she breathed quietly. Kisuke stared at her then shook his head, "I should say I'm disappointed in you for what you have chosen to do, however…" she saw him smile, "you're just like _him_."

She didn't need to ask who_ he _was.

She already knew and felt proud for it.

~~~*~~~

"Are you sure it's alright to leave him here?" Kiyone glanced around at the murmuring shadows lingering at the edge of the circle of light cast by the streetlamp. Rukia stood up, wrapping her dripping wrist in a soft bandage, "yeah. Urahara said that he'd awaken once in the company of the Darkling. We were just glad they hadn't shown up before." She glanced down one last time into Ichigo's face, drawn and pale beneath the artificial light, a tiny trickle of her blood oozed from the corner of his mouth.

Kisuke had told them that the slayers' Kido healing spells had little or no effect on them once they'd passed a certain degree of Bacillus in their bodies. Only a spell of level 7 and higher could repair the internal burning caused by Sode no Shirayuki's blade. _That and her…blood_, he'd said with a knowing look.

Rukia flicked the tiny edge of the pocketknife to shed remnants of her blood off before sheathing it. Her mind focused on her hands, refused to give into the niggling bother deep inside, a sickening crave to slide the reddened edge past her lips. Was this how it was every moment of their lives, a constant need, a vile longing that only increased its filthy appetite? Never satiating?

She thought about his last words to her_. Freeing him_? _What a joke. Was death the only option to give him peaceful oblivion from this hell_? She heard his faint stirring, glimpsed Kiyone's startled face and sighed slightly. _He wasn't any danger to them, at least not now_. "Ichigo," Rukia bent down low, brushing her lips over his cheek, his skin was cool to the touch.

"Ichigo…we'll see each other again. Soon," she felt his jaw move trying to form something, "hush. Even if we're enemies." Rukia sensed Kiyone's stare on the back of her neck, the whispery crinkling of the blackness creeping closer into the sphere of light. She stood up, Her eyes downcast, "sayonara. Ichigo!"

_We'll see each other again. Soon. In one week. Seven days until it's all over._

~~~*~~~

"Do you really want to do this? I can't stop you but—" Kisuke crossed his arms over his chest, glancing at her determined expression, "I don't know what you'll find if you do get there." Rukia shouldered an overnight bag, Sode no Shirayuki sheathed in one hand. "I'll never be able to rest until I know the truth."

"Kurosaki's history, you mean."

"Yes."

"Even if nothing remains?"

"Even if," she affirmed. The door opened, Kiyone stepped out of their shared room, stuffed bags in both hands, "I'm ready." Kisuke turned away from them; "I guess that means I'll see you in a week then."

"Yeah. Look…I'm so—"

"There's no need to apologize. When I saw you last night, acting so brave and foolish for what you believed in. I thought to myself _it was like seeing Byakuya alive again_." Kisuke looked back at her, "his spirit lives on within you. So live, come back and end this. For them."

Rukia felt her friend's hand clap her shoulder, "I will. Count on it."

~~~To be continued~~~

AN: Thanks for reading and reviews are appreciated.


	23. Chapter 23 Waiting for yesterday

CH.23: Waiting for yesterday

Karakura town. _How strange_, Rukia wondered if the city closest to Hueco Mundo had reminded him of the place he had called home so long ago. The train from Shinjuku station had deposited them in the town's central area. People walked in and among the various platforms, each intent on accomplishing their own business. Two lone girls stepping off their car with several suitcases of luggage attracted far less attention then she would've supposed.

"So where to now, Rukia?" Kiyone had never set foot in the small seaside town situated farther up the coast than Odawara. Uncertainty clouded the girl's expression, "I-I'm not sure. According to—" her eyes hardened, "—Dr. Shiba, his wife was related to…to Ichigo's mom. His father was supposed to have had a medical practice somewhere in town. Maybe it's still around? We'll just start looking, I guess."

_I mean just how many Dr. Kurosaki's could there be?_

~*~

Ichigo woke up. His hand rose and lay on his chest through his shirt he could feel the layered wrapping of bandages. He sighed, closing his amber eyes to the stars above. "Rukia...you fool." he whispered. The leaves rustled, a branch creaked, a dry voice floated down to him, "that's the first sign that you're losing your mind. You start talking to thin air."

"Toshiro..."

"I should know," the elder vampire flexed his knees and landed cat-like on his feet. Though the night was cool, he only wore a thin blue jacket unzipped over a T-shirt and jeans. His steps were soundless in white sneakers. Ichigo sat up warily, watching the other's advance until he had stopped a few feet away and leaned his back against the trunk of one of the trees.

"I felt the same way with Hisana." Hitsugaya said, his gaze resting ahead, seeing all yet not with a sight that looked deep into the years, to a time in the past. "I kept asking myself, why didn't she kill me. Didn't she realize what I was?"

"You were gone for six months," Ichigo began in a quiet voice. Hitsugaya glanced at him, "yes, I know." an embittered smile flashed, "I thought if I left you...and father, I could break away. I could have the life I once had."

"So, you ran away. Came to Tokyo."

"I met her the first day here." his smile became softer in reminisce. "In all the years I had lived, I had never seen a more beautiful girl. She was like Rukia, except kinder, gentler. It was hard I have to admit when Rukia came to stay with us, knowing who she was, it was difficult to keep an appropriate distance between me and Hisana's sister. I knew of father's plan that was why I endeavored to make a show of leaving. I didn't want any more blood of hers on my hands." his expression darkened.

"But you weren't the one that killed her. So how can you...?"

"I didn't as much participate as hand her over. My guilt is...I didn't raise a finger to help her. I knew something was wrong and I think that man--Kisuke Urahara knew as well. I owe him." his smile was distant, "he didn't tell her what I was. I sometimes think he should've, maybe it would've made a difference. She would've been on guard when father came."

Ichigo stayed silent; _he had never heard his brother speak in such a way_.

"I knew she was in love with me. Being the eldest like me, she felt a sort of affinity with our situations. She used to tell me every day to contact you guys. But every time I refused. I thought that if I kept to myself and just stayed alone, I wouldn't be found. But even then that isn't any excuse. Blood calls blood. The moment one of us steps into the city, we know. We can sense it. The slayers can't. Not really otherwise they'd know we were a lot closer than they think."

Ichigo made a noise of agreement. Hitsugaya sighed and after a moment glanced at him, "you're probably wondering why I'm telling you all this ancient history."

He said nothing.

"I don't want you to make the same mistake with Rukia. I lost Hisana because I wasn't strong enough to break free. If I hadn't valued my rotten existence so, I would've let myself fall to a slayer's blade rather than lead him to _her_." His voice rose in anger and regret, "I loved her. She had become everything to me and I didn't even realize it until she was gone..." he trailed off.

"She doesn't blame you, you know."

"Who? Rukia?" Hitsugaya's laugh was hollow, "she should. I took her sister away from her. The boy--Byakuya, resented me for good reason, I suppose. Hisana was the one who had kept them together and when I entered her life, I broke the tiny bubble of familial comfort. For once, she loved and worried about another other than them. He felt threatened by that, I'm sure. Most would and he was no exception."

"'Shiro..." he heard the wistful sadness in the other's tone. He had never thought much about the incident so many years before, never dreamed that his brother still lived and thought about the past...

"Rukia wants to know about your past," Hitsugaya said suddenly. Ichigo looked up sharply, "what did you say?!"

"She and that blond," he made a face, "are making their way as we speak to Karakura town. It's your choice whether or not you want to follow...I won't stop you," he added, glimpsing a note of distrust flicker over Ichigo's expression. "I'm heading back to Hueco Mundo myself. Everyone else is there so it's only a matter of you--" Hitsugaya paused, taking in the sight of the empty bench.

The occupant was long gone.

Toshiro had to smile and shake his head slightly; _the idiot_. _I only hope_...his gaze lifted to the sky and waning moon. _This won't end the way it did then, Hisana_...

~To be continued~

AN: I ran out of time! Thanks for reading, sorry for the wait! I'll try to do the new chapter soon! Only three more to go! No flames, stupid comments (you know what I mean!) or idiotic spammers!

Reviews are always appreciated! :)


	24. Chapter 24 Path to the truth

Dark Moon CH.24: Path to the truth

Rukia wasn't that naive to think that a large glowing arrow would suddenly appear and magically point out the direction in which they could find Dr. Kurosaki. Nor did she think they would ever find him at this rate. For the hundredth time it felt, she stopped and asked a soda vendor in the Park, if he knew of anyone by that name.

Her surprise therefore was great when the man, a bald-headed guy looking to be in his early twenties, worked his jaw, his narrow eyes outlined in red beneath thin, straight brows suddenly dipped suspiciously. "I might. That I might. But, might I ask what your interest is with...the doctor?" his tone dropped, his glance to the few people milling about. Kiyone had stayed behind, resting on a park bench just around the bend.

Rukia didn't appreciate the man's beating around the bush and not-so subtle probing. She had not faced death and her sister's killer just so that some smart ass cue-ball could act stupid. No..she gave him her sweetest smile, "oh, just wondering. I heard his name mentioned from a friend, that's all."

His intense stare dropped, accepting her crumpled yen, Ikkaku- his nametag was pinned askew on the left side; pushed across the sticky plastic counter, her change. Wrapping her hands around the styrofoam cups, Rukia smiled benevolently, purposefully striding away up the path.

Kiyone looked up at her approach, sweating visibly, the blonde shoved fringe from her forehead, smiling at her friend as she took the soda gratefully.

"Thanks, Rukia."

The raven-haired girl hesitated, her head cocked slightly, as if she were listening for something.

Kiyone of course, could hear nothing but the soft whistle of the breeze, the song of the birds in the nearby trees and the happy noises of the children romping in the play area. Instinctively she knew it was none of those that had captured her friend's interest.

"Ru-"

"That-" Rukia's expression twisted, her violet eyes flashed. "Baka-ass!"

Kiyone started, staring at her. "Wha-what-?"

Rukia's eyes narrowed into slits, , all but shoving her cup into Kiyone's hand with a, "hold this." She snapped back around and started up the way she had come. All this had transpired within a few second timeframe; Kiyone blinked and glanced around, wondering just what Rukia had heard.

...

Ichigo watched over them- no_, her_, for hours.

He could've cared less about the ditzy little blonde that clung to Rukia's shadow.

Like a moth to the flame..

He smiled at his poetic thoughts. From his vantage point in the tree, Ichigo could see far across the park and in particular the petite raven-haired girl. Rukia... it was a weakness, what he felt for her.

But, it was a weakness he craved.

More than the ancient Kuchiku blood in her veins, though he could not deny a strong lust for the Noble line; no, there was something _more_. Something of the girl herself.

Ichigo didn't believe in the existence of a heart, since his own had long stopped beating the day his mother died.

...

She was furious.

Cue-ball's act- had been just that.

An act. A ploy for her to get off the trail.

_But...why?_

_Might or might not_; she scoffed, her lips twisting into a caricature of a smile. As Rukia rounded the corner, the soda vendor and his cart came into sight along with the older man chatting pleasantly while his order was filled.

Her heart leapt up into her throat.

Age grayed the short dark hair that capped a largish skull. Prominent features displayed in profile to her, revealed a lined, mature face..._but..so..oh so..familiar_. Ichigo resembled both his parents, Rukia could see now. Her bravado suddenly failing when the man from the corner of his eye, caught sight of her wary approach and gave her a brief smile like one would acknowledge strangers with.

Her heart ached.

It was so like Ichigo's.

She forced herself to keep it together, saying loudly as Kurosaki stepped back from the counter politely. "Sorry," Rukia beamed at Ikkaku whom had emerged from the block of ice he had been shaving; a momentary expression of dismay flittering across as he saw her.

"-Forgot my change."

Cue-ball blinked stupidly at her.

She was aware of how ridiculous the parry was.

There hadn't been any change.

Ikkaku had just deposited it on the counter without thinking just to send her on her way faster.

"My change." Rukia persisted when the guy didn't move.

"There wasn't any." Ikkaku finally said slowly, pressing the styrofoam cup in his hand to the unseen lever of the miniature soda fountain. A steady gush of bubbly dark liquid streamed into the cup; Rukia's smile grew tighter.

"Oh, no. You must be mistaken, I gave you 300 yen-"

"No, you gave me the exact amount." Ikkaku argued back, a tic appearing on the corner of his mouth.

"You're lying." She denounced flatly, with every charm she could muster, pouring it all into a petulant pout. She was amused to catch a faint blush darken the cue-ball's cheeks.

"I am _not!_"

"You are too."

Kurosaki watched their exchange with a growing smile.

"I am _so_ not lying, little girl!"

She rolled her eyes purposely, halfway glancing to the elder man who stood there in silence, as if sharing a private joke with him alone. "Thief."

That did it.

Ikkaku burst out in loud protestations, to which Rukia only further smirked at when the cup he was filling, overflowed. He swore the loudest then, narrow eyes flashing at her, he turned to the man, the words coming out as an apology.

"Doctor Kurosaki, I know you're in such a hurry to get back, but if you'll-"

Rukia interrupted, "wait! You're Dr. Kurosaki?"

Ikkaku shot her a glare.

The man smiled and nodded genially, "Isshin Kurosaki, general practice, at your service, young lady."

She knew that of course. Deliberately putting her back to the muttering soda fountain operator; Rukia went on, "I've heard so much about you! How skilled and prompt you are in taking care of a patient's needs."

Isshin accepted the compliments with another smile.

She watched him narrowly, "...and practicing for over thirty years, keeping on even after the _death_ of your son-"

His expression changed.

She knew Ichigo had been reported as kidnapped by the papers.

"You.." Kurosaki faltered, his dark eyes observed her warily, "why do you.."

"Say that?" Rukia finished simply for him. She was intensely aware of Ikkaku's suspicious glower, so she laid her small hand on Kurosaki's arm, catching him momentarily off guard with a surge of strength irreconcilable for her petite frame.

She all but dragged him several feet away, clinging to the man before his mouth had relaxed from silent shock, before he could push her away. Rukia leaned into him, positioning her lips below his jaw, she whispered, "I've seen him...I've seen your son, Ichigo, Dr. Kurosaki."

...Karakura...

"You people are disgusting."

To the casual observer, Uryu Ishida's cold sneer to the thin air of the of the rooftop of Karakura's high school, seemed peculiar. But, as many of the students could attest to, Ishida-kun was just strange that way.

"Your skills are sharp as ever." Urahara complimented, materializing it seemed but from the air itself. Behind him, a small girl in pigtails, glowered heavily at the Quincy. Uryu pushed his glasses up, sunlight glinted off the square frames, his mouth fixed in a straight disapproving line parted.

"You disgust me for the very reasons of using Kuchiki Rukia as a pawn in your twisted little centuries old game."

"Watch your mouth, Quincy." Hiyori snapped.

Urahara said nothing, only a faint half-smile played around his mouth.

"There is no true cure for the curse of the Dark moon." Uryu continued, ignoring Hiyori's diatribe. "It was the end to the fairytale concocted by the insane Dr. Harvenheit- good triumphs over evil, the fair maiden lives on in the sun and beauty. All just a-"

"It's the truth." Urahara said quietly. His smile grew more pronounced as Uryu turned to face them, his back to the high chain link enclosure. "There have been some cured and who go on to live contented, mortal lives."

Uryu's eyes narrowed, "you're lying."

"I am _not_." The slayer affected hurt, even Hiyori rolled her eyes.

Uryu was unfazed by the pout. "Whatever. It's not like I care-"

"Oh, but you should." Urahara went on mysteriously, taking a step closer to the Quincy. "The entire human race is at stake..."

The boy's lip curled; the slayer smiled even as the door to the roof suddenly burst open, a girl's high-pitched cheery voice spilling forward into the sunshine.

"Let alone the mortality of sweet uncorrupted Ms. Inoue. "

"Uryu-kun! I brought us lu-"

"...isn't that reason enough to join forces with us?" The wind seemed to whisper.

The slayers had vanished, leaving the Quincy alone with a proposition and a very confused Orihime.

...Tokyo...

The gesture held little meaning.

The name carved into the small stone monument was still freshly cut, the edges sharp around Byakuya Kuchiki's afterlife name. Toshiro stood, hands jammed in pockets, staring at the grave of the man whom had been brother to _her_.

He remembered a raven-haired boy with flinty grey eyes and fine, almost too delicate features hovering with suspicion in the background.

Rukia was a mere shadow clinging to Hisana's hand.

Their faces- Rukia's face and her face...Gods. They had been so alike, so mirror-image of each other. He thought that was the most painful thing of it all, helpless to watch it happen all over again.

"..I'm sorry." He said, casting the locket upon the grave marker.

He was gone before the silver had struck the stone.

There was just one last descendant of the ancient house left to destroy.

-TBC-

AN: it's been too long since I've updated this one. *My apologies* ahem. Thanks for reading, no flames please.

Reviews appreciated :)


	25. Chapter 25 The dark on the other side

Dark Moon CH.25: The dark on the other side

He stiffened, eyes wild with some emotion she couldn't decipher; Kurosaki jerked back, tearing from her grasp as though it were loathsome. Rukia fancied he perhaps could sense the Bacillus, the curse racing through her veins, endowing her with inhuman strength.

"You...how can it be-?" He could barely form a coherent sentence, still wild-eyed, Kurosaki backed away from her, his features working in a paroxysm of emotion.

Rukia met his eyes, not a tremor disturbing her voice. "I assure you, I'm not lying. I've seen him as well as _others_." She was taking a gamble on what Isshin Kurosaki suspected, or had gathered over the years of searching for his son. It paid off. The man's shoulders seemed to sag, like a burden had been placed on him.

Oblivious to the glances Ikkaku kept shooting them, Isshin finally as if from a great distance away, spoke in an altered tone "...it is true then?"

She didn't quite know which part he meant, but nodded all the same. "It is."

The man shook his head once more, as if awakening from a long, without ending nightmare. "I...I have to go, patients..." he seemed to forget his train of thought, for he suddenly looked at her sharply, appearing to see her for the first time, "_who_ are you?"

Rukia wet her lips nervously, "Rukia. Rukia Kuchiki. I lost...my entire family to..to _them_." The last part was whispered, pain momentarily tightened her chest. Isshin understood, his hard gaze softening perceptibly on her.

"I see."

The wind gusted through the trees, long cold fingers caressing her face.

For the strangest reason, she felt like crying.

The breeze rustled Kurosaki's dark-silver threaded hair, the harsh craggy lines of his features seemed to relax into resignation. "If you'll excuse me, Ms. Kuchiki, I really must be getting back...but.." he reached into the pocket of his black trousers, withdrawing a white square with neat black print on it.

"If you'll accept my business card, then perhaps we can have a consultation afterhours."

She took it, not seeing anything but the blurring ground.

Kurosaki hesitated as though unsure whether or not to reach out and comfort her, in the end he withdrew, turning once over his shoulder to add, "my address is on the front of the card." Again hesitation. "Take care until then, Ms. Kuchiki."

She had already begun to walk away.

...

Time passed by, so quickly that Rukia felt her trepidation growing, a million questions all hammered at her mind, some of curiosity and some of asking what he knew. In Dr. Kurosaki's manner she had detected something of _knowing_, some knowledge beyond what the police could tell of an over thirty year old case.

Isshin Kurosaki perhaps suspected- _but...how?_

Walking in the shaded side of the downtown streets, Rukia felt the touch of warmth every so often, her skin bristling as something unknown in her blood fought against the sun's light. Kiyone didn't seem to notice her discomfort, pointing out different things they saw displayed in the windows of shops, cute dresses, pretty jewelry.

Once she even stopped to pick out a postcard of the Odawara seaside.

In a different situation, in another time it seemed; a time long gone, Rukia would've joined her, carefree and cooing over everything. Fate though...and something else kept her from enjoying the sights of the town. She couldn't help but try to imagine the sleepy little town many years before, in the time of Ichigo's youth...before perpetuity had frozen his face and body..._when he was mortal_.

She ached, her heart swelling with painful emotion as she gazed about her, wondering if he had once trod the same streets much different back then; with his mother. That in turn lead her to recall Dr. Kurosaki as the light began receding, her body welcoming the coming night; she thought of him as a tired, bereaved old man.

He had lost his wife and son...

Then his two daughters only the year before, what kind of hope could she give him?

His son was of the undead, immortal, perfect...but a monster of the worst kind.

Rukia closed her eyes against the relic of the sun's warmth, in the background, Kiyone gushed over a bandanna that she just knew her boyfriend, Kotsubaki would like. Rukia didn't even know who Kotsubaki was. The time spent in Hueco Mundo had detached her from everything she had once held dear, yet...

Her fists clenched.

_Given the success of the slayers endeavor and her own, she would be free...there would be time then to catch up. To go back to who she once was_.

"Let's go, Kiyone."

...

The Kurosaki clinic was located in a quiet stretch of houses and tree-lined blocks. The homes were older with weathered facades and drawn curtains shutting out the evening. A cool breeze followed the girls up the street and to the cement steps leading to the tiny front porch. A light shone in slyly from one of the front windows. Rukia raised her fist to knock; Kiyone glanced nervously around, pools of shadow grew deeper, more ominous in the fading light.

Her knuckles made contact with thin air. The door swung open with a quiet squeak, an overhead bell tinkled; the aged face of Isshin Kurosaki stared down at her. "Ms. Kuchiki, you are earlier than expected."

Her cheeks grew warm, but steadfastly, she glared. "yeah? So what? We didn't come all this way for nothing!" She was being rude; Kiyone fluttered behind her, making apologetic noises and attempting to shush her. But she didn't care.

Faint amusement showed itself in the smoothing of his brow. "Well, then, if you'll be so kind as for you and your friend to wait for me in the patients' waiting room, then I can accommodate you after Mr. Ayasegawa leaves." Kurosaki opened the door wider, stepping back as Rukia said stiffly, "thank you." As she passed. Kiyone dipped her head in respect, following closely to her friend's heels.

The room they were conducted to, was off the stairs to the left down a short hallway. The walls were wall-papered in light blue with a darker blue stripe variant. The furniture was modest, beige armchairs with slightly rounded cushions. Two were against one wall, a small table between and six more were in alignment in the center against the other wall. It was tiny...Rukia made the assessment quickly, while Kiyone murmured from close by.

"This is nice. Doesn't feel like a doctor's office at all!"

Kurosaki must've smiled. "Why thank you, young lady.

Kiyone giggled, "I'm Kiyone Kotetsu, a friend of Rukia's. But, just plain _Kiyone_, will do."

A few more pleasantries were exchanged, then the doctor remarked with another glance at his wristwatch. "Now, I really must be getting back to my patient."

The door closed behind them. Rukia walked to a chair in the center of the room and sat, crooking her elbows on the armrests, pressing fingertips into her forehead. Kiyone wandered about the room, pausing to flip through a magazine she found lying on one of the empty chairs.

The only sound for a time was that of the pages being rifled through.

Rukia closed her eyes, letting her senses drift. If she concentrated hard enough...she could hear Kurosaki's gravelly voice interspersed by comments from a soft-spoken young man. Pulling back abruptly, her eyelids flew open to find Kiyone staring down at her.

"Are you alright, Rukia? Didn't you hear a word I said?" her friend asked, wide-eyed. The magazine pages were open to a Fall style-list.

Raising a hand to her face, Rukia pushed back her one stubborn bang out of her eyes. "No, sorry, Kiyone. I didn't...I'm just tired is all." The excuse was concocted hastily, but for the most part her friend believed it.

While Kiyone proceeded then to jab fingers at the layered tissue-Ts and brightly colored plastic swag beads...she thought of other things. _Was it the Bacillus developing her internal senses far beyond normal human capacity?_

The vampires were gifted with superhuman speed and strength; from some of the books Urahara had lent her, Rukia knew that wasn't the extent of their abilities. Some could manipulate flora and fauna, bend the natural world to their will, others could change wine into blood or putrefy flesh at a single breath.

Another treatise that had come into her hands, was written in the seventeenth century by one, Dom Augustine Calmet. He was a well-respected theologian and scholar for his time. The whole of the book was comprised of incidents where vampires had been suspected; Rukia thanked her brother's previous diligence with her studies, she hadn't had much trouble reading the old French.

While Calmet's book been interesting...she had found another written by a French merchant in the time of the Meiji era, it had been a journal of sorts, detailing Angleterre's encounters with a clan of shape-shifting creatures.

_Ichimaru_. The name had fairly jumped out at her, at the time.

Shihoin as well. Rukia had read it almost in one night. At the end of the last entries, Angleterre had been frightened for his life, scribbling out the words in barely legible French. The last page with writing had born a last untidy scrawl of what might've been- _ils sont ici_..

_They are here_.

She had set the battered book away with more than a crawling feeling of disgust going through her body.

The page had been splotched with faded brown spots.

Once she thought they might've been crimson and glittering like precious red wine droplets beneath a flickering oil lamp. The shape-shifters devoured their prey. She had thought then of sharing a table with the smiling, fox-faced man and more than a shudder rocked her emotions. _He had been the...the monster to wound Byakuya fatally_, the shapeshifter was the reason she had lost her brother.

Lost in reverie, she barely heard the door open.

It was only Kurosaki's voice that snapped her out of it.

"Ms. Kuchiki, I will see you now."

She rose, lifting her chin.

Kiyone got up to follow.

Kurosaki motioned her back, "Ms. Kotetsu, I'd be much obliged if you were to wait here while Ms. Kuchiki and I confer in private. We have much to discuss, she and I."

Rukia felt a twinge of nervousness despite her outward calm. _How much did he know! _ With effort, she turned to her friend, not betraying her hesitation in doing so. "Stay here please." she forced a smile. "I'll be fine."

Kiyone eyed her, but sat back down with nary a complaint. Only her eyes followed them as they walked out, the door closing with a gentle snap behind them. Once in the hallway, mostly in shadow from the lack of lighting, Kurosaki lead her the opposite way, away from the examination room down the hall, to the main room. Ascending the stairs, he didn't look back once, to see if she were following. Rukia kept glancing about, her trepidation growing.

_She was small and even if Kiyone heard her scream_-

She rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. The heirloom blade was at her disposal...and the strength of the bacillus...as a last resort. Rukia squared her shoulders, turning from the closed door at the landing as he did, noticing for the first time with a slight shock, the sticker in the center of the aged wood panel.

_Ten_.

Her heart started pounding again, a familiar sensation by now. _Was that Ichigo's old room?_ She kept her questions to herself, taking in instead, the drooping shoulders of the man ahead of her. Kurosaki carried himself as though a great weight, or sorrow had been foisted upon him.

Her sympathy returned. Once again, Rukia wondered if she were only furthering his pain by letting him know the truth. She hadn't long to consider the ramifications, soon enough after three more doors were passed, Kurosaki came to the last one, turning the knob and pushing it open to reveal a well-lit study, small, but cozy with bookshelves lining two walls, a desk and a cherrywood chair for a guest.

Rukia walked in ahead of him, mimicking Kiyone's politeness. "This is nice." She took the seat before the desk, still glancing around, never missing the large dark blue gemstone globe in the corner or the Japanese katana hanging in a shadowy recess above one of the shelves.

"It feels lived in, unlike my uncle's showcase of a home."

Kurosaki as he was taking his seat, gave her a sharp look.

Rukia caught it, but decided to test the waters another way. "I was wondering, if you recalled your deceased wife's family?"

His expression was stony.

She pressed, "Miyako..a niece of Masaki's? She married a man named Kaien Shiba-"

"What is this all about- really, Ms. Kuchiki?" Kurosaki said abruptly.

Rukia leaned forward, her eyes intent on his face. "How did your wife and daughters die?"

...

The streets were the same. His eyes swept the tree-lined residential district, weathered houses appearing as they once were in his mind's eye. _New_. The remembrance brought pain, something he did not want to deal with.

Ichigo walked on.

It wasn't difficult, finding them.

The sight of the house brought another sharp recollection to his mind's eye, Ichigo quickly shook it off, circling around the house and leaping up faster than any human eye could see, to a large upstairs window. Clinging spider-like to the siding, he stretched tendrils of darkling to permeate the glass and slide the wooden stick from the casing, then push aside the pane.

The room he hopped into, smelled of must and age. Years had passed since anyone had disturbed the confines of the small bedroom. Moonlight filtered in from behind him, casting a shadowplay mixture on the small bed against one wall and the tiny desk against the other. Ichigo's gaze drifted to the faded crayon drawings decorating every available space.

"Why'd you keep it all...dad?" he asked to the room preserved from the past.

...

An ominous silence descended upon the room, for moments, their gazes were locked on one another. Kurosaki's turmoil raged in the hardness in his eyes, the set tightness of his jaw. Rukia didn't dare back down, leaning forward in the chair, her violet eyes fixated on his face.

"You _know_." Deliberately she spoke slow, pronouncing each word with care. "Don't you."

He seemed to come to a decision. "I think I'd like you to leave, Ms. Kuchiki." He began to rise; she remained sitting. His tone rose higher on command, "leave. _Now_."

She shook her head from side to side. _No_. Her chin swiveled to follow his movements around the desk. "You suspected from the beginning what had happened to your son, why your wife was murdered. She was of the blood, wasn't she-"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He went to the door, his large hand reaching for the knob.

Her voice stopped him. "I am the last of the Kuchiki romanized from the Kuchiku, of the four ancient Noble houses!"

"...I know." he seemed to reconsider his hasty action, his hand fell from the knob, his back remained to her. "I apologize for my behavior, Ms. Kuchiki. I believed I was capable this afternoon, meeting you so abruptly in the Park, I thought myself strong enough to open these old wounds."

"It's alright," Rukia murmured, suddenly feeling a new surge of pity for the man.

"But, this must be taken care of...this is something I must face."

Something in his tone of voice sent chills to dance across her skin. Her senses tingled, her nerves reacting by some instantaneous impulse. She didn't understand. The bacillus only reacted like that if...

"It was a Friday afternoon, warm, early spring. Masaki had gone walking to pick up from the Arisawa family's dojo, our son, Ichigo. He took Karate there every Friday with little Tatsuki Arisawa...she defeated him more often than he won. But still he was learning...he enjoyed it." A wistfulness had come into Kurosaki's voice.

Rukia could picture the scene.

He went on. "It was such a nice day that there was no reason why my wife shouldn't have gone alone. She had done it many times before and this time was no exception. I confess I was with a patient at the time of her leaving at four. I can still hear the sound of the front door closing..." it was getting more and more difficult for him to speak.

"Arisawa-sensei watched Masaki and Ichigo leave around 4:15."

She closed her eyes, she knew what came next.

"I had barely noticed the lateness of the hour when the call came." Kurosaki's voice had a deadened flatness to it. "Some kids in the neighborhood found her body lying on the riverbank, told their parents then they called the Police. Everyone around here knew Masaki, knew us. Almost immediately Ichigo was reported as missing."

"But, they never found him." Rukia murmured, staring almost unseeingly at the wooden grain of the fine desk before her. "They searched and searched for days for the body...or even any trace that he had been abducted..."

"Yes." His voice was weary now. "Did you know, Ms. Kuchiki, that the male line of your family is unique to those of the other carriers?"

Her brow creased, she hadn't heard this before. "How?"

A grim smile was in his tone. "Had your brother been bitten by a Vampire, only madness would've awaited him. Unlike the agonizing but final death of the shapeshifter's bite."

"What?" she snapped, turning fully in her seat, anger radiating from her petite form. "How the hell do you know about my brother?"

Isshin smiled. And for the first time, Rukia glimpsed the half-grown canines like fangs glinting in the muted light. "I don't think you realize, just quite how important you are, Ms. _Kuchiku_. My wife...my dear Masaki's blood provided the elixir to salvage the sanity of the Master vampire...your uncle Sosuke Aizen."

Coldness stole over her at the mention of the man's name.

"Oh, yes...for that reason alone." Kurosaki continued on cruelly, twisting the knife in deeper. "My wife was hunted down like an animal!"

She recoiled physically as though a blow had been dealt. With wide, frightened violet eyes, Rukia stared at the doctor. Isshin kept their eyes locked a moment longer, then broke contact striding to the shelves and selecting a massive tome which he flung with ease onto the desk. The motion caused a few scattered sheets to flutter to the floor.

Rukia remained immobile, her gaze flickering to the crumbling book on the desk then back to the man who gestured to it. "During the months that followed my son's disappearance...a stranger came to my office. I was out at the time, following up a lead with the police on the body of a child found to the North of here. Kunieda, a girl from the local college was interning here rather than at the big hospital downtown. She...took the message that this man left for me. She said he was very tall and very thin, he had sand-colored hair and wore a green striped-hat at a jaunty angle."

_Urahara_. Rukia knew.

"He gave no name, but left me a cryptic note and a picture cut from an old magazine. It was of an author, a man I had never heard of. When I came back, disappointed as can be imagined yet reassured all the same that my son might still be alive somewhere; Kunieda comes up and tells me everything."

"You can well imagine my incredulity and confusion then, Ms. Kuchiki...when I find out that my wife's family is descended from a line of ancients. Ancients whose blood when drunk by the cursed immortals, prevented them from falling into madness." For a time he became silent, then he gestured once again to the book, "it's all in there. All about the four Noble houses and the progenitor of the vampires...every single detail is in there."

He let out a mirthless bark of laughter.

Rukia was chilled yet endeavored desperately not to show it.

Isshin sobered, "but it's true. Every single goddamn line was true. When you mentioned Miyako..I was shaken up. Poor kid..Miyako was young then..this was before her marriage to the shrink of course."

It bothered her briefly to hear her old Doctor spoken of in such a manner, yet after what he had done, she didn't have it in her to defend him. So, she stayed mostly quiet, listening.

"Miyako was Masaki's niece as you know, her sister's youngest. My girls were little more than a year old each of them when..when it had happened. Twins they were." Isshin went to the desk, passing quite close to Rukia, close enough so that the bacillus stirred.

He retrieved a small photo album from the desk; Rukia took it, careful not to touch his fingers. Without knowing how exactly she opened the flip-page book to the middle where a grainy photo of two young girls hugged each other, beaming at the camera.

"Karin and Yuzu." Kurosaki intoned softly, "Miyako came down after the funeral to help me with them. I suppose like you...Aizen wished to be sure his quarry wouldn't escape. He came for them a month later when I was closing the clinic up for the night."

Rukia turned a page and Miyako's smiling face leapt out from the years.

"It was Miyako's screams that alerted me. I.." he paused as some spasm of emotion passed through him. "I..didn't believe until that night."

Slightly alarmed by the tremor in the doctor's voice; Rukia continued on through the book of memories. Isshin's voice rose then fell brokenly, like the words. "I tried...Gods, I tried to stop him...his fangs...his unrelenting hold and the blood...there was so much of it-!"

Risking a peek into his face, she was startled to see all the ruddy color had drained from it. Isshin Kurosaki was as pale as the dead and still he stumbled on, confessing his secret.

"I must've lost consciousness. For when I came to..Miyako was soothing the girls back to sleep and watching me with wide, very frightened eyes as though I were..."

"-Some kind of monster." Rukia finished quietly. The truth of what he was saying lingered at the fringes of her consciousness, she refused to absorb it. _This couldn't be_-

"My daughters were of less blood than Masaki," Kurosaki said, seeming to recover slightly. "Yet they were no less prized by the vampire coven. Miyako and her family shunned me and I was left alone to raise my girls, living with the constant fear that one day they would suffer the same fate as their mother."

"But, you failed." she was surprised at her daring.

Kurosaki withered again. "Yes..." he sounded like a tired old man. "I had learned before through channels I had established during the last twenty years, of the remaining Kuchiki clan. Your parents tragic deaths, then you and your two siblings. I also learned of the famed Kuchiki heirloom...the Sode no Shirayuki. But, that for now is not relevant, what is, I'm sure of interest to you...that the year before Toshiro Hitsugaya traveled to Tokyo and ruined your lives...he came here... to Odawara."

She stared at him.

"He became friends with Karin at the local college, working odd jobs. It wasn't long however..before his true nature was discerned. I made the arrangements quickly and sent Yuzu first...then Karin away. The transfer was abrupt and she gave me plenty of spitfire for it...but in the end she went..." Kurosaki looked away from Rukia's sympathetic look. "...and something followed her."

"H-Hitsugaya?" It was slightly weird to be referencing the boy she had lived with for a short time and called cousin, like a stranger. But, she supposed he was..._in a way_.

"I don't know. Karin vanished one night from the grounds of the school and Yuzu from the search party sent out to look for her sister."

"But..." something bothered her. Niggling at the back of her mind. Like a feeling, or a suspicion. "Your daughters couldn't have been taken by Aizen...his - " she hesitated at _sons_. The word felt wrong somehow leaving her tongue. "..His servants are still in need of Noble blood." She gazed fixatedly at him. "Mr. Kurosaki...what really happened to your girls?"

He laughed suddenly, choking off into a violent sob. "I.." Kurosaki's bloodshot eyes rose shakily to the sword mounted in the recess. "I did..what any good father would do for his children."

Her horror was complete. "You-"

"I can only believe it was a benevolent force which brought them back to me...huddling, shivering with the cold. Their clothes were bloodstained; Karin was unconscious still, dear sweet Yuzu begged me... You see." His gaze swung back to her, piercing her to the core with its hatred. "The blood of the damned Kuchiki women took a full month's cycle to change them into ravening creatures of the night."

His eyes rolled upward in a paroxysm of distress. "You should've heard sweet Yuzu's voice...she was begging me to feed her. To ease that appalling _ache_ inside."

Rukia sat in numbed horror, barely aware of the book lying limply in her lap.

"As she fed...I brought the blessed Samurai blade down upon her pale neck."

The awful statement hung in the air. If she had doubted his sanity before, now she was sure. The man before her had been driven mad. Suddenly she felt very vulnerable in the cotton summer dress and sandals; Kurosaki towered over her as his son did, yet she was willing to bet his reflexes weren't as great as a full-fledged vampire.

"I'm sure you don't know, Ms. Kuchiki." He was still watching her. "The potency of a bite from the newly deceased?"

_Six months_...she heard Urahara's voice repeating in her mind. _Those bitten by the fledglings can last from a day to a month to six months with very few outward symptoms_.

Isshin Kurosaki had lived for a year.

Even as her mind processed it, her eyes took in the sheen of sweat standing out on his pallid skin. His lips were pulled back over the large white teeth, the canines she had noticed before, seemed to lengthen, becoming jagged white points.

"M-Ms. K-Kuchiki.." he spoke with effort, a tremor rocking throughout his body. "M-m-my son...is he.." the trembling grew worse, his teeth chattered like porcelain castanets, his fisted hands broke apart, fingers thickening rippling. Rukia took it all in with a sort of distant horror. She knew she needed to get out of there, get Kiyone from downstairs and leave as soon as possible...but she had never seen the change before.

She had never witnessed a normal human become a vampire.

Isshin clasped his arms around his torso, the shivering continued. "..Is there..no h-h-hope..?"

She pitied him intensely, this man whose sole concern was for the son he had lost. Not for himself as the bacillus destroyed his living cells. "No." she said calmly. Her mind screamed at her that it was a lie. "He..he can be saved."

The relief that broke out over the man's face replaced the haggard death-mask for a moment. "Oh..thank God." He shuffled behind the desk, his steps slow, unsteady like those of a much older man. The sound of a drawer snapping open and papers being rifled through followed. Rukia debated with herself whether or not her speed was greater to make it to the door...when Isshin suddenly straightened, withdrawing from a dusty black velvet pouch a large flat spherical object.

Rukia's attention was momentarily diverted, her eyes wide with shock went from the stone mirror to his face. He nodded shakily, "this is it. The only moonstone mirror in existence."

_The only one!_ The statement screamed at her. _Which meant that_...

"I believe it is the only method of regaining one's humanity." Isshin set the object on the desk between them. The stone glimmered and refracted multi-hued rainbows within its glassy polished surface. It was extremely beautiful; she had never seen anything like it.

Without knowing why, she reached a tentative hand out to touch the edge.

"You may have it, Ms. Kuchiki." Something in his voice drew her eyes sharply upward. Isshin gazed at her steadily, "_if_ you can kill me." His eyes glowed red sclera, the mark of a level E.

She sprang up, tipping the chair over in her haste. The doctor lunged after her with frightening speed, his nails raked the sleeve of her dress, crimson droplets flew. Rukia hissed, feeling the sting of the freshly opened flesh, pivoting about, she performed a swift drop-kick, sweeping his legs out from under him. Kurosaki had calculated her gaining of space, snatching instead for her legs as he slammed her to the floor with him.

Rukia's skull collided heavily with the edge of the chair, woozily her vision spun, her sharp intake of breath was stifled by the hands suddenly closing around her windpipe. Kurosaki's heavier weight pressed down on her, pinning her struggling body down. Futilely Rukia reached into the depths of her mind, probing for Sode no Shirayuki's presence..her consciousness was beginning to darken, her hands scrabbled uselessly against Isshin's chest.

Then, cold rotting breath fanned across her face.

-_bite her_-

The snap of jaws retracting echoed in her eardrums, more sensitive to sound than the ordinary human. Rukia felt the bacillus quicken in her veins, a surge of strength suddenly flooding her muscles. Kurosaki said something, low, it preceded the ice-tinged flood of power that filled the atmosphere.

"Thank you." He said.

Sode no Shirayuki's blade protruded through his back, piercing his heart. Rukia felt his hands loosen, flaccid from around her neck, her throat burned, but with pain from the assault or tears...she didn't know.

Easing his body to the side, she sat up slowly, numbly. Blinking back tears, she turned to the doctor's lifeless form, dark crimson already pooling beneath his shoulder. _Ichigo's father_.. a slight smile reposed on his features, the inhumanity from the transformation gone, along with vampiric instinct.

Rukia gazed at him for a few minutes longer, then got to her feet. Wrapping her hand around the white sword's hilt, she withdrew it still gleaming red. A grimace crossed her face. No matter how many times she saw it, blood still repulsed her.

Stepping around the body carefully, she kept her sword at her side, one-handed rewrapping the precious moonstone mirror back into the black velvet bag. Pulling the drawstrings tight, she glanced once more at the book then to the photo album still sprawled on the floor where it had fallen.

Compulsively neat, she set the mirror and the sword aside and fixed everything that had been disturbed. Within minutes, her self-imposed chore was done, only Isshin Kurosaki remained. Rukia went over to his side once again, stunned momentarily to see his skin crumpling, his body sinking into itself.

_He..he..was_...

"Ashes to ashes." She intoned, watching as the man was reduced to a fine powdery substance. "Dust to dust."

-TBC-

AN: Almost there. Phew. ^-^ Thanks for reading

No flames!

Reviews loved ^-^


	26. Chapter 26 Before the sun sets

Dark Moon Chapter.26: Before the sun sets

"Rukia!"

The stairway was a well of deep shadow, the wooden floor below was patterned with a multitude of hulking shapes from the furniture adorning the room. Kiyone stood at the bottom of the stairs, peering up anxiously, listening for any sound from above.

Rukia hesitated a moment, in her arms the heavy book resided, in her pocket, the mirror hung heavily against her hip. It was an all too tangible reminder of the doomed Kurosaki family and the curse that lay upon her.

"I-I'm here.." her voice sounded faint. "I'm...alright." She was, at least physically. The burns around her neck were healing, the marks fading. And as she descended the rest of the steps, a burst of shunpo enhancing her speed, she wore a slight, sad smile.

"I've learned everything there is to know." she said, knowing it was true. Kiyone glanced from the large book she carried to the upper recesses of the clinic.

"..And Mr. Kurosaki?"

Rukia interpreted the look her friend gave her. Urahara had said, the Kotetsus were distantly related by threads to one of the lesser Noble families, branching off from the main lines. there was little doubt in Rukia's mind that Kiyone had sensed the awakening as she had, from the start.

"Is resting." She said simply, stepping around her friend. The rest of the house was bathed in thickening shadows, her senses tingled, alerting her that something was amiss. Once Rukia thought she had seen something move, crouching down under a small table. Her hold on the book tightened, her eyes darted around securing the door within her sights. Then she quickly disregarded it, _the back door_.

Kiyone looked momentarily as though she didn't believe her. Rukia moved toward the kitchen, glancing back inquiringly when she felt that her friend hadn't followed. Their gazes locked, after a silent moment, Kiyone nodded imperceptibly, turning from the stairs.

The small kitchen they entered was illuminated by a small nightlight above the stove. The countertop and the sink were dark motionless shapes, Rukia easily picked apart the door from the darker night filtering in through the screen.

"Stay quiet and keep close to me." she instructed, switching arms with the book. It was a cumbersome, heavy thing but she didn't want to leave it, in case it proved to have more valuable information on the centuries' old war.

"Okay."

The hinges squeaked loudly as she turned the knob, the door opened outward to a few steps leading down. Rukia realized she could see better in the natural darkness, her sandals met each step without a stumble, then the level ground. A short distance away was the wooden slat fence, and after that the alleyway from where they could regain the main streets back into Odawara.

How she knew it all, Rukia wasn't entirely sure and didn't think she wanted to contemplate her newfound knowledge of the town's layout. Kiyone stumbled once, but quickly regained her footing. Swiftly she crossed the yard, hefted the book over, hearing it land with a satisfactory muted thud then leapt over herself, leaving Kiyone, mouth agape, staring at the place where she had once stood.

"How'd you do that?"

On the other side, Rukia glanced up unconcerned. "Just do what I did. Jump over!"

Silence came, then little noises of exertion and the creaking of the fence as Kiyone attempted to climb up heralded its inability to withstand her weight. After another minute or so, she gave up, disappointment in her wail.

"I can't!"

Rukia sighed, her feet barely skimming the top of the fence as she vaulted back over. Kiyone turned to her as she landed, with large wonder-filled eyes. "Now how did you do that?" her friend demanded. Rukia huffed a little, scowling in frustration, rather than answer the direct question, she grabbed a hold of the girl's arm, channeling strength into her legs as they leapt up and over.

"How did you do that? Please tell me!" Kiyone exclaimed, opening her eyes and finding herself on the other side of the fence. Rukia had turned around already, taking up the book in her arms again.

"Don't ask."

Kiyone stopped, keeping after her friend as they wended their way through the dark alley, eventually meeting back up with the main road. And as they stepped onto the curb and into the bright well-lit lights of the business district, in the distance sirens roared and black billowing smoke clouded the heavens.

...

The house stirred. No sound came from Ichigo's footsteps as he crossed the upstairs hallway, listening to the sound of the backdoor closing gently from Rukia's hand. He smiled sneeringly at their subtle foolishness. How easily they believed nothing was in the dark.

Passing by his old room, he went straight to where the scent of blood was thickest. The door belonged to his father's study, pushing against the panel, the door itself yielded easily. Standing on the threshold, looked into the room he hadn't seen in decades.

"You were such a poor bastard..." his gaze drifted down to the black clothing more fitted to be that of a morgue doctor than one who saved lives. The dust had begun to spiral away in a manner particular to their kind. Scattering as Rukia had once uttered the aphorism, _ashes to ashes, dust to dust._

Dust was all that became of their kind.

Ichigo gazed at the remains a little longer, then upward to the sword mounted on the wall. In the rapidity of a shadow flickering against the light, he had taken it from the wall and stood examining it. He felt the weight carried in the blade, the finely honed steel carved with intricate designs, yet it was not without a power of its own.

He could sense the underlying vibration within the metal, a recoiling within his flesh in response. The blade had ended the immortality of his baby sisters. Faith. It was burning emotion. And love. The purest of all. He could sense Isshin's love for his children steeped into the core of the blade.

He decided to take it.

Again, he had to smirk at Rukia's incompetence. The sword could've been an excellent weapon but she had disregarded it, as she had overlooked the Darkling downstairs.

A frown touched his lips. _That folly would be her downfall_. Ichigo turned to leave, passing by the pile of ash without another glance.

In the doorway he paused, his back to the room. "Goodbye..._dad_."

Downstairs, the scent of gas wafted up from the range. The darkling hovered silently, mutely awaiting their master. Ichigo descended down among them, the sword in hand. Leaving by the front door, he tossed back over his shoulder, a single ball of bright orange fire.

The house went up in flames.

...

Rukia was silent during most of the train ride back up North. In her valise, the large tome sat, she had taken it out once and perused a few pages on the history of the Kuchiku, finding little extra of interest above that of what Isshin Kurosaki had told her.

Kiyone mostly stayed in the corner of their small car, huddled in the corner with a book of Path of Destruction spells. At times they would talk of different things, small talk really, or of the small towns the silver snake they rode, wended through.

But then they would both lapse off awkwardly.

With sheepish smiles.

Kiyone to her reading, Rukia to slumber.

Sometimes the dreams were the hardest. She dreamed of women with long streaming black hair, and beautiful naked bodies being ravished by demons and other foul creatures. Of monstrous babies torn from the wombs of the same women, weeping. Then, of the moon and hunts carried out beneath it.

Then there were the others. Hisana and Byakuya, her sister as she was before her death and Byakuya an adult. Rukia was always trying to catch up to them, as a child running through the white void-like plain, pumping her small arms to gain more speed.

But, they were always telling her to go back.

Her face would be wet with tears when she would awake. Thankfully, both times Kiyone had been nodding off and Rukia had been able to stare out the window and compose herself in silence.

Could she help end this...? She thought of her promise and of the depth of faith the slayers held for her, fervent almost. _Like she, seventeen year-old Rukia Kuchiki was some kind of savior_. Bracing her elbows on the sill of the small window, Rukia watched the scenery blend into a kind of idyllic blur.

_But, she wasn't_.

She closed her eyes, silently hoping that she wouldn't dream again.

_How could she save anyone, when she couldn't even save the one she loved?_

...

They arrived back in Tokyo to grey, drizzly skies. The Shinjuku station was the same she had departed once before from. Now, standing there, back from her personal mission, she felt lost among the multitudes. Only Kiyone's tugging on her hand and lead outward to hail a cab, grounded her.

What lay at the end of the week, in five short days seemed impossible. An insurmountable goal to others, the fate of the world on her shoulders.

Every time Rukia allowed herself to think about, she felt a mixture of fright and nerves. What if she didn't measure up to what they expected of her...what if.

_So many what ifs and all worthless speculations_.

Before she knew it, they had been deposited at the sidewalk outside the bookstore. Taking minor charge, Kiyone paid for their ride and lead the way to the doorstep of the shuttered store. Rukia glanced up and down the street; they seemed to catch no one's eye.

After a few minutes of insistent knocking, Kiyone reached up and fished around the door lintel for the spare. Within the passage of a few more minutes, the click of the lock sounded.

"Mr. Urahara?" Kiyone called into the dusty confines of the store.

Rukia peered around her, "I don't think he's here anymore, Kiyone."

Advancing throughout the store, turning on lights and in general brightening up the place, they found his note weighted down by a sheathed Tanto dagger in their shared room. Kiyone had plopped down longways on the bed, the springs bouncing noisily as she let out a huge sigh.

"Aah! I'm sooo tired!"

Rukia quietly read the not, hearing the bed bounce again as Kiyone hopped off it.

"What's it say?" the blonde asked curiously, peering over her friend's shoulder.

Rukia handed it to her, "mainly his usual foppishness."

Kiyone stifled a giggle, "oh, Rukia! You're so mean!"

She rolled her eyes, "yeah, yeah."

Leaving Kiyone to read the small missive; Rukia moved back to her bed, then after a moment's glance over of the rumpled travel-worn clothes in the satchel, she went to the closet and took out a pair of pedal-pushers and a T-shirt. Crooking the door, she stepped halfway inside, pulling her dress over her head.

"So, he's waiting for us in this place- uh Heco Mundo..? What the heck?"

"Hueco Mundo." Rukia automatically corrected, sliding the pants up her slender thighs. She was stunned to find the marble-like hardness of her torso, the pallid fineness of her skin revealing thin bluish veins. She turned her hands over and studied the spreading pallor. It was like her body was being drained of blood slowly...the bacillus was eating her up.

She suppressed a shudder, finishing dressing in time for Kiyone to look up, "hey, isn't Hueco Mundo-"

Rukia nodded briefly, "yes. That's where I lived, a whole den of vampires included."

"...So, where you going?"

She had stopped to pick up her purse, "out." she said vaguely.

...

She wanted to do it alone.

Traversing the Tokyo streets, she tried to let her nervous tension fade. She passed the Park where Hisana had met Hitsugaya so many times, past the swings where she had pushed herself alone and more.

Memories were intertwined with the city, hers and those of her brother and sister.

Rukia stood for a moment at the foot of the hill, the narrow staircase built into it wound its way up and around, grave markers dotted the hillside; she took in a deep breath then begun the climb. Byakuya's death at once seemed a hundred years ago and sometimes just yesterday.

She could still remember the sweet scent of incense smoke curling up in thin grey spirals, the intoning of the priest beseeching the Gods to take his soul to everlasting peace. Rukia's steps slowed as she reached the level highest in the cemetery, from there she could look out over the entire expanse and in the distance see Tokyo's skyline rising.

What were Byakuya's thoughts as he lay dying in that cold, sterile hospital bed. Did he hope his last surviving sister would be taken away, kept far away from the vampire clan, or did he cherish the hopes as the slayers did, that she could end their war?

She sighed to herself, idly stooping to pluck a single last rose blooming in a brambling bush near the stairs. She would never know the answer to those questions, no matter how much she wanted to know them. Rukia twirled the flower at her side, her fingers carefully pinching the stem to avoid the thorns dotting the vibrant green stalk.

_Four markers down_...

She came to a dead stop.

Her eyes were fixated on the silver coil lying at the base of Byakuya's grave. It was a locket, one she recognized dimly as Hisana's, one she used to wear everyday but that had gone missing a few weeks before she died. Rukia went and dropped down, reaching out to gently lift the silver pendant up between her fingers.

The locket spun in semi-circles, the plain smooth surface battered as age hadn't been kind to it.

Rukia stroked the dull patina, her hand suddenly closing over it. _Hitsugaya...he must've had it_. She glanced around sharply, wondering if she was alone. Her senses probed the surrounding area, finding nothing out of the ordinary except for a faintest trace of Hakubaiko perfume.

The delicate scent of Plum blossoms had always been her sister's favorite.

Once she was satisfied that an ambush didn't lay in wait, she sighed, her gaze saddening as she gazed down at the locket; she was sure that if she looked through her sister's diary entries, she'd find one speaking of the gift Hisana had given to _her friend_.

Those pages were the hardest, those of meeting Hitsugaya, of getting him the job at Urahara's used bookstore, of their long talks. It was like seeing another side to the white-haired green-eyed boy that Rukia had never been allowed a glimpse of.

There, in Hisana's diary; Hitsugaya was..._just a boy._

_And Hisana was just a girl falling in love_.

Rukia stood, her hand folded around the locket, replacing the rose in its place.

Fate had torn them apart.

"I swear to you, Hisana..Byakuya...I won't let the same fate befall me. I..." her thoughts were pierced with sadness over Ichigo.

She couldn't say it; _I won't lose the one I love_.

Instead...

"I'll return alive and I'll live for you both."

...

Kiyone insisted on dress-shopping. She had squealed once she had found the extra note left in the training ground under a small pair of ceremonial daggers- a gift for Kiyone to arm herself with; the note being another clue to where a small stash of money was left for them to buy appropriate clothing for the Karakura winter ball held at the high school.

Rukia was less enthused. Sheathing Sode no Shirayuki, she walked over to where Kiyone sat on a boulder, cross-legged, perusing a sales catalogue from one of the boutiques in Shibuya. "Nana's?" Her nose wrinkled. Nana Kiyomasa was a premier clothing designer for Girls special occasion dresses- add expensive three-digit price tags. Rukia loathed the idea of going and having the Sales reps pawing and fawning over her once the amount of ready cash to spend was known.

"Yeah!" Kiyone failed to notice her friend's distaste. "Why not go all out! I mean- Gods forbid the end of the world should actually come to pass-"

"In other words you want to look stylish while _preventing_ the end of the world." Rukia cut her off with a slight snort, but she was smiling. Kiyone grinned, "exactly!"

Rukia shook her head, still smiling but went along with it.

_What harm would it be anyway_... her gaze drifted down to the page where elegant Maxi dresses were advertised. _She wanted to look her best for Ichigo if only to see his face for a moment_.

...Karakura City...

"Father.."

The pale haired man leaning over documents on the desk scarcely acknowledged his son's presence. A long-fingered hand waved a silver pen, giving leave for Uryu to continue.

"Unorthodox though their methods may be, they have the last heir of the Kuchiku house on their side. Might we-"

"-form a pro tem treaty with the dogs of Seireitei?" Ryuken Ishida questioned, like son, he wore a silver bracelet fastened on his left wrist, a cross hung from it. They shared looks, Uryu never backing down.

"..Yes."

"What has caused this abrupt change of heart?" Ryuken's look was narrow, calculating.

Uryu thought briefly of Orihime, but did not speak of her. "It is only logical that we combine our forces to eradicate Sosuke Aizen and his clan from the face of humanity!"

Ryuken disregarded his son's outburst, calmly leaning back in the roller-type desk chair. "I see. Then, you have faith in this heir to the Kuchiku house?"

Uryu said nothing.

Ryuken went on coldly, "recall in your Grandfather's time, more than forty years ago, Seireitei had devised a similar strategy involving the heir to the lesser Nobles, the house of Schiffer. Devastating consequences followed leading to the loss of the Quincys main force and...in later years." He watched the flinch pass over Uryu's slender frame.

"That same _cursed_ heir _turned_ Vampire, Ulquiorra Schiffer, slew your Grandfather..._my father_."

Uryu's teeth gritted, "I know that." he said tightly. Soken Ishida had been a mentor, more of a father than the cold-hearted man made of ice seated behind the desk, watching with impervious eyes. "But, I still think we should-"

"No." Ryuken murmured, turning away, his attention given to other matters. "Do what you wish, but it is not my intention of leading any more of our kind to slaughter based on the myth of a fairytale."

"So, you know-?" his son expressed surprise.

He was favored with a piercing look. "The Kuchiku house began it and so they shall end it. When the last of the fallen house rises so shall the end of night fall."

Silence filled the office on the top floor of Karakura's General Hospital.

Ryuken spoke finally, "a ridiculous notion that a slip of a girl could bring the war with the Vampires to an end.

Uryu sensed his dismissal, turning away.

_He had to help them...maybe this time...for Orihime's sake...he had to ensure the world she lived in was safe from the monsters of the night._

_The last heir to the Kuchiku house had to be the key to ending it all!_

He had to have faith in Rukia Kuchiki.

...Tokyo...

The dress was in the window display.

A sheath-like silhouette with a simple layered chiffon skirt, dark bluish purple in color, the fabric rippled in a rainbow effect when Rukia asked to see it.

Kiyone squealed over it, exclaiming over and over that it was perfect.

Once she tried it on, the material gliding over her body, the straps were thin, the bodice plain except for small pintucks on the breasts, the skirt hit mid-thigh, the tails of the bow flowing in the air as she pivoted about before the mirror, she knew it was the right dress.

The color even matched her eyes.

_She hoped Ichigo would think she was beautiful_.

...

Two then three days passed.

They had established a small routine of sorts.

The Shoten didn't get a cable signal nor any kind of internet connection; but Rukia and Kiyone found ways to entertain themselves.

Breakfast at eight was preceded by sparring at nine until twelve. Have a plain lunch of Ramen, discuss a few Kido spells to try out then go back to the training ground and practice some more with their respective weapons.

It wouldn't be until five that they would lay down their armaments and call it a day.

Then they would change their simple Karate-style uniforms; Rukia had to admit, Kiyone had some skill with the short Wakizashi, in such a small amount of time. It came almost as a second knowledge, she found, wielding Sode no Shirayuki with ease. The beautiful katana glided through the air, cutting through all that stood in her way. Sometimes Rukia could even feel another with her, a benevolent spirit guiding her hand.

The heirloom blade was truly amazing, she was only saddened sometimes to think that soon they would no longer fight side by side.

After dinner, was when they would separate.

Kiyone to reading the history of the Vampires and the Nobles from Kurosaki's book; they hadn't spoken of that evening in Odawara by silent consent. Rukia never wished to bring it up again. The fate of the Kurosaki family had been sealed ever since the moment Masaki had been born.

Rukia wandered the Shoten, pondering the intricacies of fate and bloodlines.

What her uncle found in Romania had altered the paths of the Kuchiki family, even unto their destruction.

_Had he known what he was going to find in the forests of that ancient land..? Had he been conscious deep inside the monster possessing him of, returning and destroying his sister's family? _Rukia suppressed a shudder. It was much too horrible to imagine the living nightmare the real Sosuke Aizen might-was facing, if he were truly conscious.

Freeing him...was only the right of blood.

A righting of the wrong to deal the mortal blow from the blade of their ancient House.

_It wouldn't erase the wounds_, Rukia paused in the shadowy kitchen, her eyes drawn to the calendar on the wall. _Nothing would take away the pain, but even in the aftermath, couldn't some kind of peace be gained?_

_Two days_, she thought.

Only two days left.

-TBC-

AN: Almost over. *phew* thanks for reading!

No flames!

Reviews appreciated :)


	27. Chapter 27 Night of the hunter

Dark Moon CH.27: Night of the hunter

The night was awash in excited murmurs, in brief smiles and more than a little heartbreak as the students of Karakura high began arriving at the school grounds. Girls in Maxi dresses, glittering jewels and bright makeup looked eagerly around for their beaus.

Already music poured from the Gymnasium's open doors, flashing multi-hued lights provided a strobe effect on the grounds. Rukia and Kiyone stayed near the fringes, they had arrived in Hueco Mundo four hours before, having prepped at the Shoten by Urahara and Yoruichi. There, they had become briefly acquainted with Momo Hinamori, a faintly smiling girl with a sword named Tobiume. A bald-headed man with another who wore feathers in his hair; Rukia spluttered a few moments while Ikkaku grinned at her. His partner was introduced as Yumichika Ayasegawa...the same Mr. Ayasegawa whom had been a patient of the newly deceased Dr. Kurosaki.

_Everything had been a test_...Rukia had realized, sensing Urahara's nonchalance when she presented the mirror to him with the rest of the slayers present. Seireitei had known of the mirror's existence and of Kurosaki's tireless search for it, until he had managed to acquire the ancient treasure from the black market. They had also been keeping tabs on him for more than six months to ascertain whether or not his change would herald him a threat to the Odawara area.

But, she had taken care of it for them.

Urahara commended her then, explaining in quiet tones the strength of a newborn Vampire was incredible and that she had been able to dispatch him with little force was clearly a good portent for their mission.

She shrugged his hand off, remembering the tears in Isshin's eyes when he had spoken of his daughters. Killing the man was seen as a plus for the slayers' side, she saw it as barely a mercy. After that she had avoided Urahara, joining the girls instead in one of the back rooms to start getting ready for the party.

If anyone had felt more than a little strange, giving light-hearted shoves and jostling for time in front of the mirror; none had shown it. Even a stern-looking girl in glasses and thin braids had pulled Rukia off to the side to apply eyeshadow to her lids.

_They were all treating it like an outing_, she had realized then with a shock.

_Like it was just a party and that there wasn't going to be vampires and some kind of plan set in motion by a mad man to end the world_...

She couldn't relax. Rolling her bare shoulders uncomfortably, she felt the pinch of the spike heels Momo had pressed to her. The sandals were strappy, fastening around and around over her ankles, a blue satin choker with a silver half moon had been a present from Lisa- the girl with glasses, Rukia reminded herself, trying to keep their faces and names straight in her head. Hiyori had handed over a silk bandeau to slide through her hair.

Many others had left small things, when she had protested the unusualness of the gestures; Yoruichi had explained that it was only custom for the heirs to the lesser Nobles to offer tribute to the heir of the Kuchiku, whose Nobility was greater. Rukia had flushed then, scowling. She hadn't wanted to be treated like some kind of royalty.

Yoruichi had touched her face then, "don't be ashamed. You're their hope as well as the hope of the world. It's a great thing to carry as well as a terrible burden...your power, ancient protector."

Just thinking about it made her face burn, she was glad the gathering darkness hid her flaming cheeks. They had all made it clear that she was their savior, their hope. She tried not to think about it when she caught sight of Ichigo alighting from a solid black BMW. The sleek car had pulled up along with two others. Ulquiorra's green sports car drew ooh-and aahs from the girls while Grimmjow's motorcycle fit his devil-may-care attitude that seemed to be a major part of his personality.

Rukia watched them disembark, her heart in her throat.

_Ichigo_...

Though she had seen him less than a week before, it felt like longer. Her gaze roved hungrily over his face and form, committing the details to memory. The spikes of his orange hair, the surliness of his scowl as he ignored the looks and giggles aroused by his and his brothers arrival. He wore a stylishly cut Tuxedo, a single silk flower pinned to the lapel, his tie was the only thing askew, twisted like his attitude.

_That was her Ichigo_.

Her gaze passed to Ulquiorra, his green eyes fixated ahead. His evening wear fit best, tailored to the slenderness of his body, his tie bore delicate green hints in the black. And Grimmjow...Grimmjow out of them all, wore black leather pants and a black motorcycle jacket. He paraded around the girls, smirking as they swooned and giggled at his antics.

Her eyes scanned for the shock of white hair and sad turquoise eyes; _had Hitsu_-

"Kuchiki."

She jolted, violently pivoting around, on her tongue a Kido spell ready to fly. Kiyone squeaked and started, her reflexes slower.

Hitsugaya dropped down from a lower branch. Straightening, he never took his eyes from his brothers. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Why not?" Rukia spat, suddenly furious in the face of his calmness. "Why shouldn't I attack you, murderer?"

It was a low blow.

His eyes hardened, "you'd rather cause a scene in the middle of all these Terrans?" he gestured to the partygoers excited about the night's festivities. Rukia's gaze narrowed; Urahara's plan hadn't included engaging any of the vampires in the middle of a crowd. It was more of a wait and see what the other side was going to unleash.

_Some part of her, a small selfish part didn't want the night to come to an end_...

"Kuchiki."

"What?" she snapped, taken from her thoughts. Kiyone eyed Hitsugaya distrustfully, ready to back up her friend if a fight were to ensue.

"You look..." he hesitated, his eyes lingering on her face. Rukia sensed a sort of wistfulness to his gaze.

"Nice." Hitsugaya finally chose. _Like her_, she thought was how he truly felt. The elder vampire leaned back against the rough bark of the tree, gazing out again toward the path his brothers were wending to the Gymnasium's doors, "father isn't foolish, he knows all about the slayers and their little hopes for you."

Anger replaced her pity. "So, what? I'm going to defeat you and put an end to the war!"

He smiled faintly, reminiscently, somehow a cold shiver traveled up her back. "That's what Ulquiorra said once...I still remember it like it was yesterday."

She stared at him, barely comprehending the import of what he was saying. Schiff-Schiffer...Schiffer was one of the lesser Noble houses. A branch off the Murushierago family whom had been exiled to Germany during the Meiji...

"Ulquiorra was..." she recalled his assistance, his faint encouragement. It all made sense now. "He was...a slayer, wasn't he?"

Hitsugaya nodded, his look sardonic. "Like you. He was an orphan, all his family had been slaughtered by the shapeshifters, this was a little before father's time, a man named Tosen had a hand in bringing over the Schiffer heir to our side. Ulquiorra turned in the midst of battle...when all the slayers and the Quincys whom had formed a fragile alliance with their enemies, had their hopes pinned on him. Ulquiorra failed and fell to the curse."

"As you think I will." Rukia said almost defiantly, her lips set in a scowl.

"I don't know." Hitsugaya admitted, his turquoise eyes passing over her face again quickly then away as if something pained him inside to look at her. "No one knows that but you."

Rukia took a single step forward, her hands fisting at her sides. "I won't. Count on it."

He shrugged as if it didn't matter one way or another. "In truth, I suppose Ulquiorra wants you to succeed where he failed. I think that's always bothered him...their faith to have had it so strongly, belief as well and to have caused so much death in the end."

"And what about you?" she asked suddenly. Wondering what his answer would be.

Rather than responding, Hitsugaya looked away, his eyes lowering. "It's begun..." he stepped back without warning, melting slowly into the darkness of the tree's canopy. "Prepare yourself, Kuchiki. Father will not hold back."

"I know." she said steadily, staring at the place where she knew he was.

"Come out at nine sharp...Ulquiorra planned it, it'll be the Schiffer family's tribute to the Kuchiki."

She was immediately suspicious, "what is it? Why can't Ulquiorra give it to me now?"

"Wait." Hitsugaya insisted, "you must."

"Alright."

His voice came again fainter, but rougher somehow as though some emotion thickened it. "Rukia...I will give you my existence in place of hers if you succeed. Run your blade through me for the life of the sister whom you loved so much-!"

He was gone.

Rukia trembled, tears sprang to her eyes. She wanted to breakdown and cry suddenly for no reason at all. Kiyone grabbed her arm, "Rukia, you mustn't!"

Blearily she turned to her, "Kiyone.."

"It's a trap! It's gotta be-"

"I..." she hesitated, a group of shadows approached.

"Is everything alright, Kuchiki-sama?" Momo's kindly tone was laced with concern. Rukia could barely see the taller girl's outline, her beaded silhouette dress classy, the beads sparkled with iridescent light. Beside Momo, Hiyori crossed her arms and glared around suspiciously.

"N-No, I'm fine." She attempted a smile; Kiyone looked at them nervously.

"Was there a Vampire here, Kuchiki-_sama_?" Hiyori asked flat out, sarcasm dripping. The Sarugaki family had been retainers to the Kuchiku in the past; Rukia assumed the inferior rank still bothered the easily irascible girl.

_The way she says 'sama'_ Rukia thought with a slight snort. Keeping her expression detached, she replied, "there was. Your skills at detection are impressive, Sarugaki-san."

Hiyori smirked at the praise.

Momo stiffened, becoming more focused. "I presume it was the missing fourth member of Aizen's inner circle? Toshiro Hitsugaya?"

"Yes." Rukia affirmed then went on when she knew they expected more. "He gave us the usual warning that Aizen knew all about our plans and wasn't going to hold back...he..." she thought of Ulquiorra and decided to ask the slayers about it.

"He also mentioned an incident- from several years ago. It involved the last heir to the Schiffer house-?"

Momo and Hiyori exchanged looks; Rukia had the irritating feeling they were debating on how much to tell her.

In the end, Momo turned to her finally with an apologetic expression. "What the vampire referenced was before our time, I'm sincerely sorry we cannot give you full details, but suffice it to say, that like you, Ulquiorra Schiffer was once our ally."

She let out a soft breath she hadn't realized she was holding. "And?"

"_And_..." Momo trailed off, her gentle brown eyes taking on a distant cast. "There was a battle, Ulquiorra was meant to put an end to our struggles...he fought alone with Kaname Tosen while the rest of the combined force of the slayers and the Quincy allies fought the Darklings below. No one really knows what went on in the last moments, only that Ulquiorra dealt the final blow to Tosen but came back, changed. As a newborn vampire he slew many of our soldiers in his crazed bloodlust and it was only the rallying of the survivors that forced him away."

"My Uncle..." Rukia whispered.

Momo looked upon her with pity. "The Aizen family were cousins to the Kuchiki, your mother was a daughter of them by proxy when the main line bearing the name was only one son, your father. They in turn had three children. Yourself and your brother and eldest sister. We can only assume the Hollow possessing Kaname Tosen fled to a region north of the main battle, somewhere in the forests of Romania..."

"Where my uncle became its victim."

"Yes." Momo thought a moment then added, softer, "I'm sorry."

Rukia nodded jerkily, accepting the compassion. Something else that had been bothering her, came out. "Am I like him..Ulquiorra, I mean?" Hitsugaya had intimated her haughty words had been ones the vampire of the Aizen clan had spoken before the battle; but, now she was genuinely curious.

Momo shook her head slowly, "no. I never knew Schiffer beyond what was told to me when I came of age, but I don't believe it. No, I know you aren't." The older girl reached out and took Rukia's hands, drawing them together. Momo's touch was warm, her eyes friendly, "I choose not to believe anything but in you. You won't fail us, Rukia."

Again the trust. Rukia felt a surge of guilt in her heart as her gaze went from Momo's shining expression to even Hiyori's quiet snort, a mutter under her breath, "yeah. You'd better damn well not fail us."

Kiyone, a part of it all because of _her_, gave steady support. The Kotetsu family were distantly related through many generations back, but had little or no power remaining in their bloodline. Rukia recalled Urahara remarking of that fact to Yoruichi, that out of the Kotetsus, only Kiyone seemed to have inherited the slightest drops of power, but even that could've been in part to _her_- the heir of the Kuchiki clan's closeness. The ancient Bacillus was awoken because of her proximity.

_Everything began with __**her**_.

Rukia returned the clasp of Momo's hands. Nodding briefly.

_Everything would end with __**her**_.

"Let's go."

She was ready to face her fate.

...

He hadn't seen her yet. Though to be concerned with simple sight, seemed a waste considering the merriment going on all around him.

_She was just one girl_- the heir of a Noble house no less.

Ichigo tried to interest himself in the giggling swarm of girls with low-cut dresses and thick make-up plastered on their faces, but somehow, he could only see one girl's face in his mind. A dark-haired midget with snapping violet eyes. And an abrasive attitude to match.

He smirked at the thought, finally reaching a corner where he could inconspicuously stay and watch the dance floor where couples already swayed to the beat of An Cafe.

A slim shadow darted between the humans, a slender form with green eyes sidled up next to him.

"What do you want, Ulquiorra?" his amber eyes crinkled in annoyance as the lithe black-haired boy stared unblinkingly at him. "Did Toshiro send you to keep an-"

"Your agitation is quite noticeable to the Terrans, what distresses you, brother?"

He wanted to punch the other in the face if only because of how easy it was for him to be read.

"Perhaps it is the lack of our cousin, the Kuchiki heir?"

"You shut your damned mouth." Ichigo growled softly.

Ulquiorra's apathetic expression never changed, "you know, it is customary for the lesser houses to present a gift to the higher Nobility, even a fallen one such as myself."

"What're you..." he stared at him openly.

Ulquiorra's green eyes bore into him, pinning him with their intensity. "I'm giving you a chance to present _my tribute_ to the Kuchiki heir. It is..." something cold and small was hurriedly pressed into Ichigo's hand. Ulquiorra's paler one withdrew. "The only thing I can do. Remember. Nine on the hour, on the grounds."

The green-eyed vampire left then, melting into the sea of bodies, his mysterious directions echoing long after he had vanished.

"Damn you." Ichigo hissed dully, opening his palm to find a small charm freezing his skin like a chunk of ice. The metal lace-work of the delicate snowflake irradiated the height of Ulquiorra's unique skill.

He could imbue an object with unreality, casting a veil of illusion over everything.

It was similar to their father's hypnosis.

Ichigo's hand closed over the charm; Ulquiorra had given every ounce of his ability into crafting the charm, when the time came for the slayers to mobilize, he would be at his weakest. Amber eyes sought the clock, knowing it had been his brother's choice.

_Perhaps this was how Ulquiorra had chosen to atone_.

...

Rukia kept to the walls, glancing around every so often to find the net of the slayers remained on guard. Lisa to the north, Momo to the south, Hiyori at the punch bowl in the eastern direction and one of the elder slayers, a woman who resembled the younger, Lisa, closely. Nanao Ise whom was acting as a superintendent to the school Ball.

Nanao was the nearest and possibly the hardest to evade.

Rukia knew it with the woman's sharp, piercing eyes following her around; she assumed they didn't trust Kiyone to stay by the Kuchiki heir's side. So, how was she going to slip out...? The time was drawing close, she saw on the clock_. 8:32PM_. Less than half an hour-

"Hello, cousin." Ulquiorra's cool baritone made her around.

He was less than three feet away, a faint smile on his pale face. Kiyone immediately froze, her expression hardening, "you-"

From the corner of her eye, Rukia glimpsed Nanao nodding to Momo, the two slayers had let a vampire slip past their guard. She shook her head, hoping they got the message, then carefully acknowledging his politeness. "Hello, Ulquiorra. Doing well, I hope?"

"As can be expected." He returned, seeming to hesitate a moment. She wondered what he was listening for. Soon the strains of new song played softly.

"May I?" he extended a thin pale hand in the space between them.

Kiyone gasped, ready to snatch her back; Rukia however, stared boldly into his eyes.

"How nice, cousin. I believe I will accept."

The slayers remained in place, scandalized horror stunning them from acting.

He took her hand, leading her gently out onto the dance floor among the other couples. Rukia fell into pace, with Ulquiorra guiding her.

The song was a newer more pop synthesized track. She didn't recognize it, but pretended to enjoy it as Ulquiorra swept her along.

"Do you always do this?"

"Do what?"

"Make women fall helpless under your spell?"

"No, it's a vampire thing."

She caught the ghost of a smirk. "Your failure in the past?"

His steps never faltered, but she didn't miss the tightening of his mouth. "Weakness. It was a human thing that caused my downfall."

The song was ending, Kiyone was starting toward them, panic her expression, Nanao was on her way.

The time was almost up.

Hurriedly, Rukia pressed closer to him, whispering, "and what of your gift to me?"

She felt the surge of Bacillus rising in the vampire's body, her own bracing for the attack that never came. Ulquiorra stepped back first, smiling faintly.

"A memory, Kuchiki_-sama_.." he said softly, so softly that it seemed he was whispering the words into her ear. She felt the pulse of his power flowing all around her just as Kiyone reached her side.

"A sweet memory of your beloved to carry with you until the end of your days."

His words broke the bubble. She felt something leave and enter her simultaneously. Kiyone gasped and swooned, catching at Rukia, Unbalanced they both toppled into another couple. Immediate protests went up. Nanao took charge, her stern voice rising above the cacophony.

Rukia made a face, quickly climbing out of the tangle of limbs. Kiyone followed, groaning all the way, "oww...my aching head! Rukia, what was-"

She felt her vision sway, for a moment Kiyone's face had been distorted. Her friend had looked just like-

"Kuchiki-sama!" The furious click of Nanao's heels approached, the woman herself appeared at eye level a moment later, easing Kiyone to her feet. "Are you unharmed?"

Rukia stared at them dumbfounded; Kiyone fumbled, looking from Rukia to someone else across the room.

"I...I...yeah." Kiyone nodded firmly, looking up into the older woman's worried expression. Rukia watched the lines in her face smooth out.

"Oh, thank goodness. We were worried something might've happened to you being in close quarters with the vampire. But, I'm glad to see you're alright." Nanao glanced down to where Rukia sat, "Kotetsu, are you unhurt as well?"

A suspicion occurred to her, "y-yes." She climbed to her feet carefully, "_Rukia_ was closer to the vampire. I just got a little dizzy from the bright lights and all. I'm sorry for my clumsiness."

Nanao nodded briskly, "it's alright. Why don't you take a break? If you go out from those doors-" she pointed to a set across the opposite end, "and go to the left down the corridor, there's a staff lounge behind the first door to the right. Rest in there and if anything happens, we'll send someone to fetch you."

It was almost too perfect. For show, Rukia caught Kiyone's eye, "but I don't want to leave _Rukia_-"

Nanao headed her off with an understanding smile. "The girls and I will stay close to Kuchiki-sama, and will make sure she's kept safe."

"Okay." Rukia assented, practically skipping inside. Risking a single grateful look to Kiyone, she wended her way back through the milling throng, the music starting up again as she went. Once she was sure Nanao and none of the slayers were paying attention, she broke into a run, squeezing out the doors past a group of late revelers back from a restroom break.

The thick double doors shut out the sound of the party, the corridor she entered was still and silent. Dimly lit, shadows grew up in the corners, but she wasn't afraid. Rukia's heels clicked quietly down one end, on the wall a floor plan hung behind a plexiglass case.

Studying it for a moment, she saw her best bet was to go through the window- ironically- in the same room Nanao had tried to send her to, and climb out. Then, circle around the building and come upon the lawn from the northern side through the lush trees bordering the front.

She ran over the plan through her mind twice then decided to act on it. She had less than five minutes to be out on the lawn for the Schiffer family's alleged tribute. _Memory_. She slipped inside the nondescript room with a few chairs and a vending machine half-filled with plastic packages in racks. A window across was set high into the wall, she pushed a chair over to it, the legs scraping on the uncarpeted patch of flooring. Cursing her heels, she climbed up precariously, straightening to grab at the window casing.

Rukia swayed momentarily but held her balance with one hand, while the other she made a fist and drew it back, punching the glass panes out neatly. Her nicked knuckles stung lightly as she hoisted herself out, leaning up and grabbing at the outside lintel to kick off the chair back. For a second, she hung suspended, then let go.

She landed on her feet with a grace any feline would envy.

Glancing around, her eyes took careful note of the shadows and the sounds of the night. She hadn't a clue how long Ulquiorra's illusion was going to last, and didn't want to risk being caught by any of the slayers posing as security.

Bearing that in mind, she hurried through the trees, fleet-footed like a true daughter of night.

An inner sense of hers, told her to skirt the main fringe, coming out at the same place where she had glimpsed through the crowd...him.

Alone now.

Moonlight illuminated his still form, a certain impatience in the jutting of his hands in his pockets.

Rukia's heart beat loudly. A branch cracked underfoot.

Ichigo turned, a scowl on his face, "so this is it, midget. Our reunion?"

She scowled in return at the nickname; but two could play at that game. "Yeah, carrot-top. Don't worry, I too am disappointed."

He snickered. "At what? Some Romeo I make and Juliet you certainly aren't."

"Speak for yourself, jerk." she snapped without much bite. It felt like...the beginning. Something painful arose in her throat the longer she gazed at Ichigo's tall, slightly slouched form_. But, this was...the end_.

"Look." Something in his gaze melted, softening, "I don't want to fight."

"Well, don't then!" Her frustration came out.

He sighed, running a hand through his spiky orange locks. "It's..three seconds before nine. C'mere."

She eyed him suspiciously again. _Was it a trick?_ "Why?"

"Just do it!" Ichigo snapped impatiently. Rukia threw him a quick glare before using Shunpo to cross the distance. He rolled his eyes when reaching for her left hand, she tried to pull back. "Give it!"

She glowered, "why?"

"Just _shut up_ damn it!" He snatched at both her hands and cradled them between his larger ones. Silent but not at all repentant, Rukia watched his face as the seconds passed.

One heartbeat.

She could feel the warmth of his skin, there was nothing cold about him.

Two heartbeats.

It was nine o'clock.

A swell of energy, gentle now arose from the joining of their hands. Ichigo's face took on a concentrated cast as he separated their hands, still clasping each one tightly. From between the circle of their arms, a tiny silver snowflake was suspended by threads of familiar power.

"He made this..."

She didn't have to ask who as the snowflake ascended in the air, the coldness of winter flooding all around. Before her very eyes, a spherical dome of thin rainbow-like light encapsulated them, inside, a light snow began to fall, moonlight flooded the tiny world.

Ichigo looked all around, shaking his head minutely, "that bastard...this is amazing." Finally he turned back to her, releasing her hands and stepping back. Rukia didn't understand.

His expression was suddenly serious. "May I..have this dance?"

She gazed at him, her hand lifting from her side to fall into his. "Yes."

...

There was no music as they glided around on the frost-laden ground.

Turning. Twirling. In time his arms went around her tighter and they were swaying to a silent symphony of the night.

Rukia clung to him as the fragile dream world of Ulquiorra's illusion crumbled.

She didn't want it to end.

_"A sweet memory of your beloved to carry with you until the end of your days."_

The ground shook, shouts came from the slayers monitoring the perimeter.

Ichigo let her go, stepping back. "..the end has come."

"No!" desperately she tried to hold him, but he slipped from her hands.

"Rukia...it's time for us to face our destiny." Ichigo said calmly, his gaze on her though the slayers shouts had reached them.

_'Vampire!'_ The night was filled with their shouts about mankind's most ancient enemy.

"No..." she sobbed, covering her face with her hands.

Briefly she felt a kiss be pressed to the top of her head, her hair rustling.

Quickly she looked up.

Ichigo's expression was unreadable, "we were...never meant to be."

Then, he disappeared with one last sad smile.

Whistling cuts from a sword filled the air echoing from a distance, the screams of the slayers drove a horrific terror into her heart.

"Ichigo!" she screamed, pivoting about, her hands flying to Sode no Shirayuki's materialized form. But, he was already gone, body parts littered the ground. Rukia started toward them, but another sound stopped her, a creaking, whipping howl as the massive limbs from the trees surrounding the campus came alive. She darted toward the center of the lawn, spinning around to take in the sight of the thick branches stabbing through the windows, tinkling glass adding to the cacophony. Inside, screams from the frightened students spurred her to action.

She knew she had to stop the encroachment. Shoving her scabbard through her bow, she flung a wave of ice at the nearest branches reaching for her as she pounded across the lawn toward the school. The trees shuddered at the _White Wave_. Their progress temporarily halted.

_Was this Aizen's plan?_ She wondered, racing across the grass, her feet fairly flew up the steps, her good shoulder slamming into the shut door with enough force to jolt her bones. But, it didn't give. Again, Rukia rammed it, gritting her teeth as frigid cold slicked her skin.

_The door felt like it was made of_...

Ice. She stepped back, her eyes widening as she took in the sight of the ice crystals forming jaggedly along the frame of the door and upward into the building itself.

Her gaze fell to her own sword then sharply to the forested lawn of Karakura high. The trees had frozen solid into an impenetrable barrier, cutting off the slope of the lawn all the way to the gates. They were trapped and it was...

She heard soft sobs coming from inside.

"Hold on! I'll...I'll get help!" she called out, pressing her palms to the bare slab of ice that expanded over the door panels. She grimaced and pulled away, the ice crystals had begun freezing her hands to the door.

_No_..._please_.

"Just hang on!" Rukia asserted, cursing herself as she raced around the glistening ice stalagmites growing up and around the sides of the building. Her feet almost slid out from under her and she cursed louder, desperation making her pass by the window twice before she finally found it again.

She was in luck.

The opening was still there.

Fastening Sode no Shirayuki to her shoulder, Rukia clambered up the ice vine growing up beside the window, her exposed skin stung from the cold but she ignored it, reaching out to grasp at the casing, pushing off again to pitch herself through the opening.

She landed hard on her side in the middle of the iced over floor. Grunting to herself, she quickly sprung up into a crouch, listening intently. No sounds permeated the silence. Remembering what had happened before, she prayed that she wasn't too late.

Easing the frozen knob, Rukia peered out into the darkened hallway. Strobe lighting flickered in the glint of the ice sheets forming outside the Gymnasium doors. They were bent out as if a great force had rent them. Rukia picked her way carefully out, her breath coming out in short white puffs, her skin breaking out in severe gooseflesh at the coldness.

"Hello?" she whispered, clasping Sode no Shirayuki's hilt tightly. Rukia's eyes swept around from side to side, she switched to the opposite wall then, stalking forward carefully. The doors were in clearer sight now. She could see that a skirmish had gone on. Faint traces of Bacillus-fueled attacks lingered in the air and...blood.

She kicked the door suddenly in, her anger getting the best of her.

"Anyone there?" she called sharply, taking in the sight of the overturned tables and steadily dripping punch. A few shoes lay scattered about, a few charred spots from what looked like arrows, but nothing.

No one.

"Any-" she started to call again, but a gravelly male voice cut her off.

"No one..bu' me."

_Grimmjow_.

She was in the act of turning around when something heavy crashed into the back of her head.

The last thing she saw, was his feral grin and the jagged fangs protruding past his upper lip.

...

Her head felt like it had been split open with axe and then sewed back up together. Her skin burned, she found, shifting slightly, and she seemed to be tied to something.

"Awake now, my dear?" Aizen's voice came from close at hand.

Rukia's eyes snapped open, her body twisted from side to side, "you bastard!" she snarled seeing his smug smile. Aizen stood a few feet from her, in garments of pure white.

"Temper, temper." He scolded, with a slight frown, "we wouldn't want-" he motioned for Ulquiorra to step forward. She hadn't even seen him standing in the shadows; but even that didn't matter when she saw Kiyone's torn dress and frantic, pleading eyes, her mouth bound with a strip of cloth.

"-anything to occur to Ms. Kotetsu, now would we?"

"What do you want?" Rukia growled, her hard violet eyes fixated in hate on the man. Aizen shrugged nonchalantly, pacing about the room, "oh. Many things. Many unattainable things, Ms. Kuchiki. You see..." he came to stop in front of her. Rukia's hands twisted in the knotted rope tying her to the column of ice.

"The fate of the world became predestined the moment you first took breath in this life." Aizen whispered.

Her eyes grew wide, "you're mad...that's not possible. I'm-"

"Just a girl. Just the last heir to the House of Kuchiki after your beloved sister's untimely demise."

She spat at him, "just what are you trying to say!"

Aizen reached up a hand to wipe her saliva from his cheek then thought better of it, as he grasped her chin in a vise-like grip, forcing her head to turn toward the one she had failed to notice.

A cocoon of ice cradling an orb the size of a small orange.

She felt something in her stir at the sight of it, _the call of recognition_.

"An artifact of the Kuchiki Nobles, built by none other than their chief retainer, Kisuke Urahara." Aizen pronounced grandly.

Her mind desperately tried to absorb it all.

_Urahara was a retainer-he built that thing...but...why?_

She felt the danger of the thing prickling at her skin.

It was something that never should've been made.

"It is the Hogyoku, my dear. It is your inheritance...your birth right to unleash its destructive power on the world."

"No..."

His grip on her tightened, his nails pierced her skin.

"I believe the answer is _yes_, my dear. Or would you prefer to see the effects of the dormant vampire genes awakened in your little friend?"

Her trembling stopped. Her eyes slid from his deathly calm face to Kiyone's frightened one.

Rukia knew she had to stall for time. "Why me? I'm-"

"I presume you've never been told the prophesy surrounding the Kuchiki family?"

She shook her head mutely, curious despite everything.

"The Kuchiku house began it and so they shall end it. When the last of the fallen house rises so shall the end of night fall."

He took in her understanding.

"Yes, that's right, Ms. Kuchiki. You see...inside you was born a balance between the darkness of the night and the human side of day. You make or destroy the precarious balance maintained by the slayers. But, it's your choice."

She stared at him unable to look away.

"Either your friend..she's such a little darling, isn't she?" he smiled and Kiyone whimpered behind the gag. "Or doom the world to a second ice age and the coming of the Vampires."

She wondered where Ichigo was. Outwardly calm, her insides were in a torment, her mind rejected the choices set forth yet the longer Rukia's eyes darted around, she caught sight of someone hidden on the other side of the tall metal racks lining one wall.

_Uryu!_

His Quincy bow was tipped down, but the meaning was clear when their eyes met.

One shot.

Rukia calmly slid her eyes back to Aizen, "you know my choice already." Then to Kiyone whom was wanting to cry. "What is a world of strangers to one life whom I value?"

"You have spoken with true Kuchiki arrogance as befitting their heiress." Aizen said with obvious smugness. Ulquiorra stepped forward, releasing Kiyone without another word. Her friend stumbled but kept her footing, staring from the vampires to Rukia's implacably calm face.

"Release me." Rukia commanded.

Aizen nodded again to Ulquiorra who approached, his green eyes sweeping over her face as if asking; _are you sure?_

She met his look solidly. The ropes fell from the slitting of his extended nails. Rukia stepped forward haughtily, already she could feel the pull of the orb, a craving deep in her blood to synchronize with the unholy power of the object. She forced herself to think of Byakuya and her head cleared.

"I'm ready," she said loudly.

Aizen gestured grandly to the pedestal.

He and Ulquiorra flanked her as she approached it. She could feel Uryu's arrow lifting, the bow string being pulled tautly, his fingers curling around the fletch.

One more second.

Rukia closed her eyes briefly, reaching for Sode no Shirayuki's power. Beneath her feet the frozen water of the swimming pool refracted multi-hued rainbows trapped in the ice. The Hogyoku pulsed before her, an object of supreme destruction that only she could awaken.

Her eyes opened, she reached out for the Hogyoku, her fingers closing around a slender white hilt instead. In a split second she had spun around, the pure white sword cleaving the air, "sorry. I'm just Rukia Kuchiki." Her blade cut a diagonal path across Aizen's chest, red began blossoming like a bloody flower in a field of white.

"I'm just a girl." she whispered as Uryu's silver arrow pierced Ulquiorra. A gasp was torn from her throat as Murcielago's edge grazed her belly. Kiyone let out a choked scream. Aizen started laughing, a great bubbling mirth and twisted amusement on his face as he mocked her.

"You think you've won...?"

Rukia had staggered back from Murcielago's wound, she heard the crackling pulse in the air as Uryu fired another arrow, felt the hairsbreadth of it smolder her cheek as it whizzed near her head, embedding itself in the wall far behind.

"Get out of there!" The Quincy yelled.

From all around, darkness like mist arose, tendrils that arose in wavering mist-like forms. She wrapped an arm around her stomach, wincing from the pain.

Aizen smiled cruelly, his form itself flickering into the blackness that surrounded them.

"Oh, no, my dear. The fun is just beginning."

Rukia felt the ice cracking beneath her feet.

"Darkling." she whispered as the Master vampire's form flew apart, his minions swarming forward. A great cracking, shattering sound split the air and the next thing she knew, her feet were skating, sliding down toward the center, she ran for the edge, throwing herself fiercely over. The skin of her knees tore and bled, leaving red streaks on the ice. But, she ignored it, pushing herself up. From nearby she heard Kiyone gasping and swatted at the shadows, struggling to find her way to her friend.

The pool was alive with a mass of writhing horror; Rukia slipped once, falling painfully to her already banged up knees. A youthful male voice from nearby made her forget caution and reach out.

"Aizen's consumed the Hogyoku. It seems your presence was enough to awaken it, heiress of the Kuchiki." She found Uryu's hand and gripped it tightly.

"What now?" Rukia whispered suddenly afraid. _She had caused this_. Just by _being_.

Kiyone's soft gasps echoed from somewhere to the left of the Quincy.

Uryu breathed, "neither you nor I can defeat this monstrosity. We...run."

They did.

Cutting through the malevolent shadows, gagging on the foul miasmic stench of the grave that clotted the air; Rukia, Kiyone and Uryu stumbled through the darkened hallways of the school. Bursting out from the main locker-lined corridor they got to the front doors blockaded solidly with immovable ice.

"Dammit!" Uryu swore, as their closest escape route was cut off. Kiyone breathed hard, looking from the Quincy to her friend. "What next?"

Rukia pressed a hand to her side, a stitch aching when she recalled the window she had used. "There's a...a window in the lounge area." she gestured vaguely back toward the northern side of the building where the Gymnasium was located. "I used it to get back in. We can use it now to get help-"

Uryu stared at her; a cut across the bridge of his nose had dripped a trail of blood down his cheek. "Ms. Kuchiki, there is no more assistance."

It was her turn to stare at him. "What the hell do you mean? Surely-"

The Quincy shook his dark head slowly, "I saw what they did to the majority of the students. Their souls were divested and used to nourish the orb of distortion." He pointed toward the ceiling. "Their bodies are upstairs."

Her feet threatened to go out from under her. "But, what about..." she realized with a barely concealed pang of guilt that she had hardly thought of the slayers remaining in the building. _If- any were still alive_.

"The slayers were taken below; I presume the remaining members of Aizen's clan are guarding them. What do you want to do?"

She stared helplessly at Uryu, he was putting her in charge. Making her give the orders when in reality she was just a scared seventeen year old girl in a ripped party dress and broken shoes. Her lower lip trembled and for moments she thought she was going to breakdown and cry right there.

The floor shook. A distant tremor. The blood in her body stirred, she knew Aizen was rising up from the pool; _he had been reborn again_.

Her hand tightened around Sode no Shirayuki's hilt, "I will not run." It seemed a promise, strengthening her resolve. She looked steadily to Uryu then, "save the slayers. Find a way out." Her gaze went to Kiyone who was shivering. "Kiyone, assist him as much as you can."

Her friend nodded.

Rukia smiled briefly before turning around to go back the way they had come.

"Oh! But, Rukia, where are you going?"

She didn't look back as she explained, "the Aizen family were relatives of the Kuchiki. This is a family affair that I must end. I...will face my uncle alone." She smiled to herself, "as it should be." Then, before Kiyone could call her back or regret to take hold, Rukia phased from sight.

...

"I can see my belief in her was well-placed. What a courageous if not foolish girl." Uryu murmured after a moment had passed. Kiyone rubbed a spot on her arm where a bruise had begun to grow, only looking down at it then, did she realize it was healing.

"Rukia's my friend and to let her-"

The Quincy shook his head slightly, "no, I'm afraid not. To follow now would be potentially suicidal for her and us." When Kiyone looked on the verge of protesting, her light brown eyes filling with tears. Uryu sighed, reaching into his pants pocket; he didn't add that a shadow had slipped past them in the hallway, heading as well toward the Aquatic Dome. _Rukia Kuchiki would not fight this battle alone_.

"I'm sorry, Kotetsu. But, you being unarmed at this point makes you nearly useless."

She pouted.

Uryu withdrew a thin silver capsule, murmuring a word she didn't quite catch, it became a long thin blade almost similar in appearance to an Accordion's bow. He held it out to her carefully, "this is a Seele Schneider, it is the only kind of blade the Quincys like myself, carry. Unlike of course the slayers whom depend upon their ancient heirloom blades."

He smiled diffidently when she took it, "I much prefer a bow and arrows. Cleaner kills less chance of being wounded in close combat. Think you can handle it?"

She adopted a stance she and Rukia had practiced the last month, fierce determination burned in her eyes. "Yeah."

"Then, let's go."

...

The air was thickest outside the Aquatic Sports dome.

Rukia shivered from the mixture of malaise and ice tainting the atmosphere with dread. Her grip on Sode no Shirayuki never wavered, her hand cautiously extending to push open the closed door. She peered around the murky gloom, taking a step forward, her sandals sloshed through an inch of water.

_Was the ice...melting?_

As she advanced, a voice pierced the gloom.

"I see you've come back, Rukia. The call of your heart is strong is it not?" It echoed all around yet from nowhere at the same time it seemed.

"Love does not call me except for the calling of my soul to end this." She paced around, looking not with her eyes, but searching with her senses, as far as she could tell; _his_ essence was all around her.

"Family we are, are we not?"

His laughter chilled her to the bone, it echoed from the empty space no less than five feet away from her.

"That we are, my beloved cousin. Come to me, let us as one spread our dominion of the Kuchiki name! Come and let us share immortality!"

It seemed as though a mist had cleared. A red haze lingered in the air, casting a reddish hell light to the wet tiled floor, Rukia could see past it to the tall broad-shouldered man standing with his arms down then slowly rising to open outstretched. _Welcoming_.

She held her breath, then raced forward as silent as the wind.

Her sword flashed a pure silvery light as it lanced the man's breast.

He gasped and swore, collapsing over her as she knew he would.

"Ichigo!" Rukia whispered fiercely, struggling under his full weight, "I'm sorry! But it was the only way."

His arm went around her, clawing fingers clutching at the small of her back. "You..." he snorted softly, "are going to be the second death of me."

Aizen's cackle floated over them, she glared. "Come out, you filthy coward! Always hiding behind the shadow of others, show yourself, Nosferatu!

"So, you knew...very astute of you."

Rukia could barely make out the bulbous burbling form atop a plateau of bloodstained ice in the middle of the pool.

"Of course," she spat, her eyes flints, "Ichigo was never of our blood, mine nor that of the body you stole! That of my uncle!"

Another gurgling laugh.

Ichigo held a sword loosely at his side, his amber eyes warily fixated on the Master vampire. Rukia gently slid away from him, turning fully to face her nemesis. "You hideous beast always slinking from host to host, continuously sowing death and destruction on the lives you taint!" she raised her heirloom blade, "well, no more!" Her power fueled by her rage radiated outward, cutting away the Darkling at the fringes.

Ichigo watched on in some awe. _So this was the power of the Kuchiki_...the power of light.

"I will be the one to put an end to your reign of night! Because of me the sun will rise again over this night!" So, declaring it in ringing tones, she charged forward, bringing her gleaming blade in a sweeping arc, "Second Dance, Hakuren!" she called, a huge white wave of ice exploded, rushing forward only to collide against an invisible barrier. Static electricity crackled, suspending the ice sheets in midair.

Stunned, Rukia stared in confusion, "what...what is this?"

The ice cracked, the sheets moving apart to form jagged long icicles.

Ichigo sensed the change even before she had. _Another power had taken control of hers_.

"Get-"

The fear was reflected in her violet eyes.

"-out of there!"

The ice flew across the room like a thousand daggers.

The only sound for a time was that of dripping blood.

Rukia felt his arms around her loosen.

"Ichigo?" she whispered fearfully.

A tremor rocked the vampire's body, his cold lips pressed to her forehead. "I'm still here...midget. I'm still here." She no longer felt a spasm of annoyance with the nickname, only the deepest relief as her arms went around him.

"Oh, you stu-" her hands encountered the thick frosted surface of an icicle shard embedded deep in his back. "Ichigo!" warmth seeped out at her probing. He grunted, a hiss escaping through clenched teeth.

"Like I said..I'm alright." With effort, he gently detached her clinging hands, turning to the once human form of Sosuke Aizen, now just a globule-like mass of flesh and silently screaming faces of all his victims.

"Hate...cannot kill you." Ichigo spoke with difficulty, addressing the man he had once called _father_, feeling the coldness of his insides spreading. "It's taken me the entirety of the existence you gave me, to realize that. Those slayers..." his amber eyes took on a sad cast. "Poured forth their hatred and curses as did Rukia, whose light cuts the darkness. But, 'cause you hate the world and everything in existence, you simply counter their hate with stronger."

Rukia silently stepped behind him, pressing closely to his side in support as she stared ahead.

"So, the one thing that can destroy you..is the opposite." Ichigo raised the plain katana he'd had at his side all along.

The form of Sosuke Aizen quavered, a deep hissing sound issuing forth.

Ichigo's resolve strengthened, "is _love_."

The creature spat, "think you, boy, a plain sword can defeat me?"

He smirked, "well I'm sure as hell going to try." He tore from Rukia's grasp, her cry of dismay echoing long behind him. Ichigo leapt across the void, teetering on the edge of the ice, in seconds he had brought the sword down straight through the eye of the Hogyoku fixed lidless at the center of the pile of pinkish flesh.

Blood splashed him as a tentacle form whipped out, stabbing through his solar plexus.

Ichigo gasped soundlessly, blood flecks spraying the air.

Arms latched onto him.

"You baka-asshole!" Rukia screamed into his side, her voice muffled by the torn fabric of his suit jacket. "How dare you try to leave me alone!" her fists raised and thudded against his ribs.

He rolled his eyes, "you're the stupid-" he broke off choking as the tentacle withdrew, snaking forward again to swipe at his legs. Rukia let out a cry as he went down, the katana flashing again as it sunk deep into the tentacle reaching for her.

"I'll take you both to the abyss!" An inhuman voice roared from the flesh; the linoid wrapped about Ichigo's ankle twisted suddenly, crushing the bone, he howled in pain, releasing his desperate grip on the sword. Rukia searched frantically about for Shirayuki, jerking around to see the white sword glimmering at the edge of the pool.

_If only she could call it to her hand_...

"Sode no-" she slammed forward, her chin colliding painfully against the ice. Something ropey and slick tugged sharply around her ankle, creeping up meaty tendrils around her legs, Rukia twisted about, flailing around. Mindless panic gripping her as she fumbled to remember defense spells.

"You.."

She stopped, a burbling rose up from near her hand, she quickly pulled back against Ichigo's heavily-breathing body; a face formed from the liquefied mass, a hellish little demon's countenance that spoke softly, mockingly. "You, heiress to the Kuchiki, shall become my next host!"

It lunged forward only to be cut down by the gleaming white tang held by the shade of a tall man. Rukia gaped openly, her sight filled with the sadly smiling face of her savior.

"Uncle?" she hardly dared whisper.

"..kia. Rukia, I'm...sorry." his voice had a faintness to it, a hollow ring that resounded in the frosted air. He was dressed much like the last photo she had seen of him in his mortal life, a rumpled white shirt like that of a traveler's, khaki pants. Hatless, the same unruly slightly curled dark brown hair and glasses perched on a firm aquiline nose. He was starting to fade; the vampire begun rising again, spitting angrily at the man it thought it had vanquished long ago.

"Pitiful shade, what canst thou do against an immortal!"

Sosuke brought Sode no Shirayuki's shadow up, "_this_." And thrust it down, full force where Ichigo had stabbed it before. The vampire howled in blind pain and rage, tentacles lashed out whipping the air. Rukia gasped as he turned to her, "_go. Go now_!"

"But..." she turned to find Ichigo's warm amber eyes looking into violet, his hand covered hers.

"Midget, do as he says. Go now!"

Her fist thudded against his shoulder, "baka! Why are you always trying to leave me behind?"

Ichigo had winced, her small hit had hurt more than it should've. Already the bacillus in his blood was failing, none of his wounds were healing anymore. To distract her, he pressed one last kiss to her lips, fiercely even as the ice shuddered, buckling beneath the master vampire's fury.

"I love you." Ichigo hissed, cupping her cheek, "that's why." His gaze hardened in resoluteness. With one swift motion he had gathered her into his arms and pitched her across the void. Rukia screamed in surprise, her expression a mixture of anger and pain as her body skidded across the ice field.

"Goodbye." He never looked back as he took up his father's sword and plunged it deep beside Sosuke's. The sound of a door banging and pounding footsteps preceded the shouts of the slayers.

"It's going to collapse!"

"Ms. Kuchiki!"

And hers, rising at a fevered pitch. "Ichigo! Let me go!" she snarled at the slayers. "I have to go to him!"

_Good_, he thought..._they were going to take her away_.

He could finally rest, knowing she would be safe.

He closed his eyes, the blessed darkness falling around like a warm cocoon.

The building started coming down around them.

-one chapter left...

AN: almost done! Whoot!

No flames!

Please review!


	28. Chapter 28 Night's end

Dark Moon CH.28: Night's end

The slayers grabbed her arms, pulling her back as the dome of the ceiling cracked and splintered. Rukia fought viciously, her sight blurring with thick tears as the roof began to come down. Urahara was closest, "we have to get out of here! It's gonna fall!"

She felt her legs being dragged, her arms bound by a Kido spell she couldn't fight.

Rukia screamed when the last of the Aquatic Dome became a field of ruins.

"Ichigooooo!"

...

Benihime carved at the ice, chunks lay melting into great wet pools on the grass. Outside the stars shone brilliantly in the dark blue canopy of the sky. Urahara gave the signal and they let her go. Rukia fell to her knees, numb with horror, never feeling the cold seeping into her skin.

"I never expected such sacrifice from a Vampire." The shopkeeper murmured, as the last of the rumblings from the collapsed building had died down to the breeze of the night.

"He had a name, you know!" She snapped, her anger flaring in bright red streaks from her aura. Urahara regarded her expressionlessly, "Ichigo Kurosaki. There, does that please you?"

She turned away, averting her face so that the tears spilled into the grass.

"So...it is over."

The voice made them all freeze, stiffening as a familiar form stalked forward from the overhanging of ice bordering the trees.

"Hitsugaya!" Rukia exclaimed, his promise suddenly coming back to her. Urahara had tensed, preparing to draw Benihime as were the rest of the slayers exuding hostility as the vampire kept walking toward them.

"You have every right, Kuchiki." He was untouched, looking as she had last seen him under the trees. Rukia slowly got to her feet, the grass cold and tickling her skin. "It was because of me that father turned eyes toward the Kuchiki family. It was my _fault_. I lead him to _her_. To you all"

The pain rose up in her heart, but somehow...it wasn't as bitter.

She approached him, ignoring the warnings issuing forth all around her.

"Yes, it was your fault that my family was destroyed." She stopped in front of him, her eyes softening. "But. You also loved my sister as she loved you." Her hand slid into the hidden pocket of the dress, finding the cool silver locket still there. Rukia tangled the chain around her fingers, slipping it and holding it out to him.

The tiny half had opened, a small picture of three smiling siblings swung like a pendulum.

Toshiro smiled a true smile, "thank you."

He melted into ash before her very eyes.

That meant that the ancient Nosferatu was finally, and truly ended as his creations became dust.

Rukia dissolved into uncontrollable sobs.

_Ichigo was finally and truly...gone_.

...One week later...

The garment was a loose flowing white robe, unbelted it hung from her thin frame. Rukia passed by a full-length mirror in Yoruichi's house, glancing once to catch her reflected image. She thought it was ridiculous, but Urahara, perverted old man he was, suggested she bathe naked in the moonrays.

Yoruichi rolled her eyes and wisely lead Rukia back into the house, saying something about ceremonial garb; a yelp came from the background. Hiyori had taken her sandal off and had smacked her erstwhile commander squarely across the cheek. The shapeshifter and Rukia shared silent amusement in the sumptuous parlor.

Now, attired in the white robe, Rukia wandered restlessly around the large master bedroom, peering in the muted glow of the lamplight, at the picture frames on the walls. She recognized a younger Kisuke Urahara arms linked with a brown-haired bespectacled man..._her uncle_. Two women were central in another, the slim asiatic features prominent in the smaller of the pair, Yoruichi's bright cat-grin vivid as her affection. Rukia knew the girl to be Soi Fong then.

The dear acolyte lost in the long and terrible war.

When the door opened soundlessly and quiet feet padded across the floor; Rukia was focused on a different picture hidden in a dim corner. It was one she had never seen before, one of her brother. A slender black scabbard rested against one shoulder, his slate grey eyes were steadily focused outward, his features set in one of deep repose.

"Byakuya..." she murmured, aware of the woman standing just a little behind her.

"Yes." Yoruichi said unnecessarily, "Aizen demeaned the male line of the Nobles, however Byakuya found a way.." cool slender fingers brushed her shoulder in a comforting gesture, "just as you have."

To live the life they were denied.

"Is this really alright?" Rukia whispered, still staring at the youthful face of her only brother. "Is it truly okay for me to leave this- this world behind?"

She was surprised by a soft chuckle floating in the air. "Many of us have asked ourselves that question...when the time came and passed, when sometimes we had no choice. We wondered, would we have it different?"

Rukia felt a stirring of pity.

Yoruichi sobered, "but in the end it seemed to us..that the Kuchiku's part in all this had finished down to the last descendant."

The hand on her shoulder tightened. "Rukia Kuchiki's _life_ is just beginning."

Their eyes met.

Rukia nodded mutely.

"Let us go and reclaim her life."

She let herself be directed to the door, pausing only with a slight bite at her lower lip. "Can I-"

"It is yours." Yoruichi said with a smile, "the Shihoin clan are second in blood to the Kuchiku. There are other items which are being readied and packed into your valises, the picture will be one of them."

Rukia flushed a little, "thank you."

...

The pool made her skin crawl as her eyes took in the sight of the floating tray at the center, the stonework of the patio made it so a large group could gather and ahead the swimming pool was a large rectangle with curved steps to enter at one end.

The slayers parted in solemn respect.

Rukia found Kiyone's face among the multitude and received a smile in reassurance.

Yoruichi separated from her at the edge, going to wait on the sidelines as Rukia hesitated, knowing she had to make the final journey alone. Taking a deep, calming breath, she started forward, the water lapped cool at her bare feet, rising above her ankles then finally past her hips. She only felt a little fear as it came to her chest, chills breaking out over her skin as she finally reached the tray.

The mirror rested on a black onyx stand, its surface tilted toward her.

Rukia grasped the edges, lifting it in her hands.

The moon beams snared in the stone fell over her face, illuminating her in almost daylight luminescence.

She prayed the curse had lifted.

...

Oh! I'll miss you sooo much, Rukia!" Unrestrained as always, Kiyone had been saying the same thing for the last twenty-four hours. In the Narita airport terminal, they were already drawing strange looks. Rukia laughed, gently disentangling herself from her friend.

"I know, I know."

The blonde's face dissolved into a wail, "oh! Rukia, why do you have to move so far away? Why couldn't you just stay here with us?"

"Because," she explained patiently, "ever since my uncle's death, my aunt refuses to let me stay by myself. She says that she's the last of the family and that we need to stay together."

Kiyone looked momentarily devastated, launching herself at Rukia again, the blonde started sobbing. Rukia and Isane exchanged chagrined looks.

Rukia looked away first. She could never say that the thought of living in Japan was much too painful, that even the thought, the merest idea of living in a world without him was barely tolerable. But, she had promised. Byakuya and Hisana, whom the slayers had interred at her request, a small urn of Toshiro's ashes within the same plot.

_She had promised she would live_.

_And she would_.

Her eyes closed and she prayed her aunt's flight would come soon.

_Just for them_.

...Outskirts of Barcelona, Spain; One month later...

The house was quiet finally.

Yachiru and Mina were finally sleeping; Mila-Rose, the young native girl Retsu had hired from the city, smiled as Rukia passed. They both exchanged wearied looks. Yachiru was a pink-haired terror and the fact that her father, Kenpachi pulled long hours in construction didn't help.

Retsu was off taking pictures in the Countryside for a Nature magazine; some of her aunt's art lined the walls of the large Adobe as Rukia went up the narrow staircase, in her arms were several text books. She hoped one day to become a folklorist, but for now those were distant dreams.

Down below, she could hear Mila-Rose still humming an off-key tune. As she turned the corner from the landing, her gaze fell on the narrow shaft of sunlight filtering in from her room, the door was open.

_Had Mila-Rose been cleaning earlier?_

Rukia considered going to ask then decided it didn't matter. The books were heavy and she had a test coming up, passing the first three doors, Rukia lightly pushed open hers with the nudge of her foot. Her gaze as was habit went to the framed photograph of her brother on the bedside table, but for some reason she looked to the bed first.

Her arms opened, the books fell to the floor with several heavy thuds.

Rukia fairly flew to the side of the bed, snatching up the plain white sheet of paper, unfolding it even as she became aware of her heart thundering against her ribcage.

It bore a single sentence

A single line in familiar handwriting.

_"Wo ai ni."_

_I love you_.

Tears started falling, splotching the page, Rukia's watery gaze fell to the perfectly preserved rose lying on the lace-work quilt. She touched the petals lightly..._this was_...

A breeze gusted in from the open window.

She knew it hadn't been open when she had left in the morning. Hurrying to it, she thrust the sash away, leaning far out, her violet eyes brimming with hope and tears as she looked desperately up and down the street.

A few of the neighbors kids played at the curb. The sounds of their merriment the only sound above that of...footsteps. Her gaze went farther, and she saw him.

A tall man walking up the shadowed side of the street.

She clasped the paper to her chest, sobbing softly.

He was walking away from her.

_In the end...a human and a vampire were never meant to be_.

-Finis/Das Ende/The End-

8-1-2011

AN: As I've mentioned to certain readers by PM communication, there were two endings I had considered for DM, one of which is this one: CH.28 Night's end. A sadder one is indicated here by Ichigo's leaving of Rukia whom is mortal now. As Rukia reflects herself, a human and a vampire were never meant to be.

However- _holds hand up before shoes are tossed at the authoress_; I give you CH.29: Children of the night as the alternate. It opens directly after Chapter 27 and provides- hopefully- a somewhat happier ending for the pairing of the star-crossed lovers Ichigo and Rukia.

:) enjoy.

- sincerely, yume girl 91


	29. Chapter 29 Children of the Night

Dark Moon CH.29 *Alternate ending* Children of the Night

Rukia screamed at them to let her go. The building was swaying already with the weight of the energies contained inside it, it wouldn't hold for much longer.

"I have to go to him!"

She saw Yoruichi make a two-fingered gesture, words silent as the binding spell was woven. She stared around at the deathly calm faces of the slayers and fought anew.

_No-No-No-No_-

"Ms. Kuchiki, I once made a promise to Byakuya that I would protect you and keep you from the night." Urahara said, looking a little banged up but not the worst for wear. Her eyes turned to him, widening.

"But, I also made a decision to honor whatever it was, you, as a human wished." He looked at her steadily, his eyes no longer shadowed, but soft green gazing into hers. "What is it you wish?"

Rukia never broke his gaze. "To be with the one I love... forever."

They let her go.

She ran past Kiyone's sorrow-filled eyes, past the heirs of the newest Generation of slayers, Momo, Lisa, Hiyori, there was never condemnation in their eyes, only sadness.

_This was her choice_.

Rukia made the leap across the abyss as the ice broke, the ceiling crashing down all around her, obscuring the slayers and salvation from sight. She clung on desperately to the warm body of the boy, hugging him fiercely as the walls closed around them.

Ichigo snorted softly, "you little fool. I only wanted you safe."

"You're the baka. If you love me...then never say goodbye." she whispered, closing her eyes.

The darkness became absolute.

...

There was no ashes to be buried.

Rukia as well as the main student body of Karakura High was reported dead or missing. It was the worst tragedy to hit the Nagano region in over fifty years.

Tears were shed by Retsu who was by blood, Rukia's father's half-sister. Her mother had, had her before marrying into the Kuchiki clan; none of the precious bloodline survived. _As it should've been_, Urahara thought, tapping his walking cane against the cement. Kiyone hurried and stood up, wiping tears away with the back of her hand.

Sunset was falling, Spring was coming.

It had been six months since the destruction of the school.

He had made sure none of the slayers were indicated as blame was passed around the School Board's table. He had reopened the bookstore in downtown Tokyo, hiring Kiyone much to the delight of Mrs. Kotetsu, and there the girl spent many hours training with the blade and deadly arts. It seemed that the prolonged contact with someone of stronger blood, had awoken the dormant bacillus in Kiyone. She would never be as powerful as even one of the Hinamori; but Urahara had the feeling that dealing with the smaller vampire clans and the shapeshifters, true obliteration wasn't far off in the future.

Yet still something bothered him, niggling at the back of his mind...

"Mr. Urahara." Kiyone spoke up, solemnly gazing back at the stone marker and empty grave below it. "Will we...be forced to hunt her...one day?"

His eyes closed. _Ah. That's what it was_.

Rukia's body had never been found.

After a long moment he answered, "perhaps. I cannot say what the future will hold. What I believe however...is that Ms. Kuchiki perished with the one she loved. Let's just leave it that." He gently patted her shoulder. "C'mon. Yoruichi's waiting at home with dinner!" Kiyone smiled and allowed herself to be lead away from the graves of the Kuchikis.

Evening was falling; on a lower tier, he let Kiyone go ahead, skipping happily on down. He glanced up, seeing the shadows thickening, he had sensed them there. Watching. Waiting. Two of them.

One incredibly powerful, the other lesser.

He reached up, smiling, knowing they could see him. "I wish the best to you, Ms. Kuchiki." He tipped his green-striped hat to the silence. Then, after another moment of Kiyone's calling, turned and went down with the last of daylight fading behind him.

They waited.

One wore a slight, soft smile on her face.

...

The hours passed.

Midnight fell.

At the deepest part of night, two shadows made of blackness thicker than what surrounded them, stepped forward into the moonlight.

"Sister..."

She laid down a withered rose on the base of Hisana Kuchiki's grave.

"Brother..."

She touched a cold kiss to the stone of Byakuya Kuchiki's grave.

The taller form sighed in impatience, his crimson shirt buttoned carelessly revealed a deep tan to his chiseled torso. He ran a hand through thick vivid orange locks. "May I move now?"

Her lips pursed but she refused to deign a comment on his rudeness before her family. After all she was the Master vampire now, her purer blood gave her command over all vampires regardless of their makers. "Yes, come now." she tried to keep the testiness from her voice.

Released from the invisible constraints, Ichigo made a face at her smile, stopping to stand beside her, "you know they're no longer here..right?"

"I believe my sister and brother are watching down on me.." she remembered her and Yoruichi's conversation from what seemed like years before. "Always."

He rolled his amber ochre eyes. "That's stupid."

She slugged him in the gut in response. When he had doubled over, she turned back to the graves, smiling again, "Hisana, Byakuya...this, he is my choice. And I-"

"You sadistic..bitch!" he cut her off with a yell.

"Yeah-yeah. You love it, baka." she retorted, shoving him with a single pressure of her hand, sending him flying toward the stairs. A torrent of curses echoed throughout the night.

She giggled under her breath, "what can I say...I love him."

-Fin-

AN: and this concludes Dark Moon, my oldest posted story. I hope you all enjoyed reading this as I have in the past enjoyed writing it. *bows for the curtain call* see y'all on the next story!

:)


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